Men and Monsters
by JDPhoenix
Summary: Ryan is determined to leave his past behind him but destiny has bigger things in store.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own, nor am I in any way associated with Power Rangers or High School Musical._

_AN: The idea for this story comes from Catt001's fantastic music video (link in my profile) and I thank her for letting me use her idea._

_AN2: For a good while here it's going to be mostly HSM. There are references to PR but I think (at least for the moment) it's enough explanation that you can understand what's up without having watched the show obsessively for the past 17 years. PR will eventually come to the forefront, but HSM characters will always be the focus. To those PR fans shaking their heads in fear: think of this as an original team story ... except not. Also, the specific incarnations this story deals with are MF and OO. I'm not saying the others won't be mentioned or come up, but don't expect Tommy to go racing across the screen at any point._

_AN3: I've made a Guide to PR for HSM fans who need/want to know who these random people are. You don't need it for a few chapters though and the author's notes clearly tell you when it's important. The link to the guide is in my profile.  
_

_Now that that's all out of the way. Enjoy!_

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 1**

Ryan Evans marched down the hall, ignoring the confused glances from his fellow students, and threw open the music room doors.

"What. The. Hell?" he demanded as the doors swung closed behind him.

Sharpay sat calmly on the back of the baby grand, Boi in her lap. In one hand she held a heavy book with frayed pages and a cover worn beyond recognition.

"Hm?" was her only response as she reached up to turn a page, yellowed with time.

Ryan crossed the room in quick strides, ignoring Boi's unhappy growls as he glared at his sister. "There is a werewolf in the boy's locker room," Ryan ground out.

Sharpay's eyes stopped their scanning of the page and she slowly lowered the book. "Repeat, please."

"You heard me."

Sharpay set the book beside her and lifted Boi up to her face with a smile. "Oh, you've been a bad boy, haven't you? Oh, yes you have!" She gave him a kiss on the head and Ryan snatched the book away from her.

"You know you shouldn't have him at school," he muttered. "He's dangerous. And what are you reading, anyway?"

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "So he turned a kid into a werewolf, so what?"

"It's not a full moon, Shar. It's bad enough that there's a werewolf running around loose --"

Sharpay lifted an eyebrow at that pronouncement and Ryan sighed.

"I locked him in. Let's just hope Troy and Chad don't need to get to their lockers anytime soon. Oh God, I hope it isn't Troy or Chad."

Sharpay frowned as she slid off the piano. "Well, I hope it's not Zeke. I don't want hairs in my crème brulée."

Ryan groaned. "Sharpay," he said slowly, "this is more important than your sweet tooth. There is an diurnal werewolf at East High and he is our responsibility."

Sharpay gave him a pitying look. "Says who, _little brother_?" she said with a smile and snatched her book from his hands.

Ryan ignored the dig and instead responded, "Who else is going to handle it? I don't see any other Underworld escapees running around Albuquerque." When Sharpay ignored him he added, "Unless you want to call our newly crowned cousin?"

Sharpay stiffened immediately and Boi leapt from her hands with a pained yelp. She whirled and Ryan was pleased to see her eyes glowing an angry red. "We are _not_ calling that vampire brat."

"Then you agree, we have to deal with this." He spun on his heel and marched toward the door.

Sharpay huffed but hurried after him, quickly shouldering her bag and grabbing up Boi before easily gliding past Ryan at the door so that she was leading the way. She didn't even pause at the boy's locker room and Ryan cast a quick glance around to make sure no one had spotted her before entering himself. There was a great deal of snarling and the chain link fence that boxed in the lockers rattled heavily, but the most out of place sound by far was Sharpay's designer heel tapping the floor in annoyance.

"He's not very big," she said, letting Boi down.

The werewolf grasped the fence, panting heavily as it listened dumbly to the exchange. Its fur was a thick black and the only remainder of its former existence were the ragged blue jeans that had survived the transformation more or less intact, save for the shortened length and the tail sticking out the back. His shoulders seemed out of proportion with his legs, but were not so broad that he would have trouble fitting through doors. Saliva dripped from his muzzle onto the cement floor, creating a small puddle of thick, mucus-like liquid.

"He's a teen wolf," Ryan said dryly. "How big did you want him to be?"

"I don't know," she said, walking once past the door, the creature following her every move. "Big enough to crush Cynthia Mallory's new convertible?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Can you turn him back?"

"Do I look like a miracle worker?" Sharpay asked sharply. "There's no known case of lycanthrope being cured, Hollywood movies aside. What makes you think I could do it?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. You're the one with the demon dog for a pet." Ryan gently toed Boi away from the spit puddle. "I hoped maybe you'd know of a loophole."

"Well there isn't one." She put a finger to her chin. "I wonder what caused change during the day though. The first transformation usually isn't until the next full moon."

"That's not for another week," Ryan said, leaning close to the werewolf for a better look. It growled at him but backed up with a whine when it caught his scent.

"His instincts are good at least," Sharpay said dryly. "He knows better than to tick you off."

Ryan ignored her and asked, "Could it have been stress? I've heard of werewolves transforming to protect their loved ones."

"Those are only purebreds, not converts." She frowned. "Silver!"

"What?"

"A newly infected werewolf who comes in contact with silver would be under enough distress to spark an out of phase transform."

"Wow," Ryan said.

"What?"

"You sounded really smart right then."

"Some of us actually studied when we were in the Underworld."

Ryan shook his head. "Let's just get him home. It'll be easier to deal with him when there's less chance of being caught by anyone else."

Sharpay's mouth dropped open momentarily. "No. We are _not _--"

"He's our responsibility, Shar."

"Fine," Sharpay muttered. "But if she pees on the carpet it had better be in your room."

"She?" Ryan echoed.

"It's simple anatomy, Ryan."

Before Ryan could answer Sharpay lifted a hand and snapped her fingers, engulfing all four of them in a flurry of pink sparkles.

#

The staticky recording of Sharpay's voice told Kelsi to yet again leave a message only if she had scored at least a seven out of ten on Sharpay's Coolness Exam. Kelsi had scored a four but was given five extra points when she became the drama club's resident composer.

Kelsi threw her cell phone into her bag and slammed her hands on the piano keys. Where were they? Ms. Darbus had narrowed the choice of autumn musicale down to two possibilities and then handed the decision over to the drama club's president, vice president, and secretary, and Kelsi was fairly certain that if the secretary made a decision without the president's approval, the secretary would soon be mourning the loss of her eardrums.

She looked up at the two scores, side-by-side on the stand. She knew which one she liked better, though both were entertaining she preferred the more difficult one, but which would Sharpay like? She had no idea.

One of the doors at the back of the theater opened and Kelsi spun around. "Hey, Zeke," she sighed.

"Well, that's a nice welcome," he said as he walked down the aisle.

"Sorry, I was hoping you were Ryan or Sharpay."

"So she's not here?"

"Nope. We were supposed to meet to discuss the autumn musicale," she said, imitating Ms. Darbus. "But I've been waiting almost an hour and neither of them is answering their cell."

"Great," Zeke muttered, flopping onto the bench, facing the wrong way. "I wanted to see if she needed a ride home."

"Sharpay has a car," Kelsi reminded him as she gathered up the two scores to put them back in her bag.

"If she wanted help with her math homework?" Zeke tried.

"Sharpay's in calculus, you're in trig."

"If she wanted to make out in the home ec room?"

Kelsi shook her head to hide her smile. "That's unsanitary."

"So, what about you?"

Kelsi almost lost her grip on her bag. "What?" she gasped.

"Do you need a ride home?" Zeke said, laughing. "Oh man, you thought I --" He dissolved into a fit of laughter.

"Oh, stop!" Kelsi said, slapping his shoulder. She stood and hurried towards the doors. "Just for that I'm gonna make you take me to the library on the way. I need a book for my history paper. And no wasting time looking at cook books while we're there!"

"Oh, man!" Zeke said, following after her.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	2. Chapter 2

AN: A BIG thank you to everyone who reviewed. Writing isn't worth it without feedback.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 2**

"Would you kids like anything to eat?" Derby Evans asked.

"No, mom," Sharpay said. She sat on the edge of the Evans' indoor pool, swinging one leg through the water casually. "But could you take Boi? He's getting antsy."

"Of course, dear," Derby said. Taking Boi in her arms she said, "Let's get you some kibble," and left.

"You shouldn't leave her alone with him," Ryan said, watching her go from the lifeguard tower.

Sharpay waved away his comment. "Boi knows better than to bite her."

"This morning I would have said Boi knew better than to bite a wildcat. Apparently I was wrong."

"She'll be fine. And since when do you worry about her?"

"She's our mother."

"Our fake mother," Sharpay countered sharply.

"She still cares about us the way a real mom would."

"That's because she thinks she _is_ our real mom." Sharpay frowned and looked out at the water. "How long can a werewolf hold its breath?"

Ryan tossed his hat aside and dove in. Moments later he came up with a sputtering human. Long hair fell over her face, obscuring it from view.

"Um, Shar?" Ryan asked uncertainly. He floated a few feet back from the girl, holding out his arms in case she needed him again.

"What?" Sharpay asked. "Oh." She bit back a smile and grabbed a towel before wading slowly in.

Ryan thankfully backed away and let Sharpay take care of things. When everyone was finally out of the pool the girl held the soaking towel tightly about her chest and looked around with wide eyes.

"What happened? How did I get here?" Gabriella asked, carefully pushing the hair out of her eyes.

"Oh, shit," Ryan muttered.

Sharpay looked her up and down. "This just keeps getting better and better."

Gabriella looked sharply between the two of them. "What is going on?" she asked, backing away slowly.

Ryan put a hand to the small of her back, stopping her before she fell in the pool. "We're just trying to help you," he said gently. "You're at our house." As he guided her to a pair of plastic chairs he asked, "Why don't you tell us what you remember and we'll fill in any gaps."

Gabriella nodded slowly and closed her eyes, trying to remember. "I needed my chemistry book but Troy had forgotten his so I'd lent mine to him. I went to get it from his locker --"

"His gym locker?" Sharpay cut in.

Gabriella blushed. "Yeah. And … Boi was there. He … bit me." She held up her right hand, examining it. "I could have sworn he broke the skin," she muttered, feeling the base of her thumb as if that would reveal the missing marks.

"Then what happened?" Ryan pressed.

She shrugged, obviously regaining some of her composure. "He ran away before I could catch him. I figured there wasn't much chance of Sharpay's dog being dangerous and I wasn't exactly supposed to be there in the first place, so I went to get the book. And then … it felt like something was burning my neck." She ran a hand under her wet hair and her eyes went wide. "My necklace!"

Sharpay sighed. "The chain was silver."

"Yeah, it was. You have to help me find it."

"It's probably still in the locker room."

"What do you mean? And you still haven't told me how we got here!"

Ryan and Sharpay exchanged a look. "Fine," Sharpay muttered, "but you owe me." She waved him out of his seat and claimed it for herself. "So, Gabriella, do you like horror movies?"

"Not especially," Gabriella said, shooting Ryan a confused glance.

"Have you seen many?" Sharpay pressed.

"A few. Troy likes them."

Ryan bit back a laugh, thinking Troy probably liked having an excuse to comfort his frightened girlfriend.

"But you know the basics?" Sharpay asked. "Zombies, vampires, psychotic leprechauns, werewolves?"

"I … guess."

"Good. Because you are one."

"What?" Gabriella asked, confused.

Ryan moaned. He never should have let Sharpay do it.

"A werewolf, I mean. Boi's a distant relative of Cerberus' so he has all these weird mystical powers." She shrugged. "Apparently one of them is turning people into werewolves."

Gabriella stood quickly. "Listen, I don't know what you two are playing at but --"

"Don't," Ryan said sharply, holding out a hand. Gabriella stopped abruptly. As Ryan curled the fingers of his hand towards himself Gabriella took several halting steps forward. When she was close enough that he could reach out and touch her he dropped his hand and said, "There are things in this world you don't understand."

Gabriella gave a shuddering sigh and staggered back to her seat. A few deep breaths later and she looked up to meet his eyes. "What are you?"

#

Sharpay had to give it to the girl. An hour ago she would have bet the Evans' fortune that if any of the wildcats saw her world they would be reduced to quivering, sobbing masses, but Gabriella was handling the whole thing with marked composure.

"We're from the Underworld," Ryan said. "It's sort of like the homeland of evil. About twenty years ago there was this big mystical battle and all these bad guys got sealed away under the ground in California. A couple years ago an earthquake set us free." He shrugged uncomfortably.

"Most of the others," Sharpay cut in, "stayed to fight, to pick the war up where they left off. We didn't. We were born in that hole," she added harshly. "We weren't about to risk going back."

"So your parents brought you here? Put you in school like normal kids?"

"No," Ryan said slowly. "We never met our parents. We were kind of …"

"Hatched," Sharpay supplied. "We're hybrids or … something. The biology isn't exactly a science, more of a magical amalgam."

Gabriella took a deep breath. "So who are those people I met at Lava Springs?"

"Derby and Vance Evans," Ryan said. "We found them. They wanted children. We offered them us. In exchange we used our powers to make them think we were theirs, to make it real for them."

"That's horrible."

"It was their idea," Sharpay snapped. "And I don't know what you're complaining about. You've lived every day of your life in the sun with a mother who loves you."

Gabriella bit her lip at that. After a tense moment she said, "Can you show me something else, so I don't think I just imagined that before?"

Sharpay sighed and flicked her hand at the pool. A bolt of pink energy flew to the water, creating a whirlpool. Slowly a massive reptilian head pushed up from its center. The sea serpent turned yellow eyes on them and opened its mouth to reveal rows of sharp, glistening teeth.

Ryan slapped Sharpay's hand down. The serpent was abruptly sucked back beneath the surface and the water slowly calmed.

"No summoning," Ryan chastised.

"Whoa," Gabriella breathed.

"Yeah, well," Sharpay said, examining her nails. "We _are_ evil."

Gabriella raised an eyebrow at Ryan and he quickly avoided her gaze. She took the hint and said, "You still haven't explained how I got here. Did I get caught up in one of your wicked spells or something?"

Sharpay smirked. "I already told you. Boi bit you. You're a werewolf now. Welcome to the strange side of the tracks."

Gabriella looked sharply at Ryan, who sighed, "She's telling the truth. The only reason you transformed today was because of the necklace Troy gave you. Since you were wearing it when you were bitten the infection hit you full force. But don't worry," he added quickly, "that was just a fluke. From now on you should only transform under the full moon."

"You say that like it's a good thing," Gabriella said, her breathing slow and steady as if she were forcing it.

"It's better than never knowing what will trigger it. Purebreds can transform any time. Sure, they have better control than most people, but that's only because there's no turning the wolf off and --" He looked from Gabriella in the chair, holding her head in her hands, to Sharpay. "I'm not helping, am I?"

"No," Sharpay said with a quick shake of her head. "Why don't you go get us some drinks and snacks and I'll take Gabriella up to my room?"

Ryan nodded but grabbed Sharpay's hand as he passed. "No magic."

She rolled her eyes. "She's already a werewolf. How could I make it worse?"

Ryan hoped she was right as he made his way to the kitchen. This was going to be a big adjustment. Not just for Gabriella, but for all of them. He and Sharpay had never had any intention of telling anyone about their former lives. Even their "parents" had been required to forget. When the wildcats had started getting more chummy with the two of them they had seen it as a sign of their success at being human, but Gabriella's transformation may well destroy everything they'd worked for. Ryan didn't think she would go blabbing about any of this at school the next day but the more people that knew about their past the more likely it was to come out.

Not about to bother the cook, who was working feverishly on dinner, Ryan grabbed a bag of chips off the counter and a couple water bottles from the fridge. He was just dodging around the open oven when the phone rang.

"I got it," he told the grateful man. He dumped his burden on the counter, well out of the way of the cook's work, and lifted the phone from its cradle. "Evans' residence, how may I help you?"

"Finally!"

Ryan winced at Kelsi's annoyed tone. At the sound of her voice the autumn musical came rushing to the forefront of his mind. "Oh man, I'm so sorry, Kels. There was an emergency and we had to leave kind of suddenly."

"What happened? Is everyone all right?"

Ryan's wince turned into a grimace at the worry in her voice. "No, everyone's fine … more or less," he added, thinking of the coming full moon.

"Well, that's the important thing. Do you have any idea which musical Sharpay wants?"

"What about what I want?" Ryan asked, smiling for the first time in hours.

"You're the one who always says 'when Sharpay's happy everyone's happy.'"

"Yeah, well, that's not exactly true, is it?"

"No, it's not." She yawned. "Listen, I really need to get to bed. Could you just know which one we're choosing before homeroom tomorrow? You are coming to school tomorrow?"

"Yeah. We've got everything worked out here. I'm sorry about this afternoon."

"No problem. Things happen."

"Yeah, they do," he sighed. "Bye."

"See you in the morning."

As Ryan hung up the phone Boi trotted into the kitchen. "This is all your fault, you know," he told him. The dog barked in what Ryan could have sworn was a disrespectful tone.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	3. Chapter 3

AN: I forgot to say last chapter, but congrats to everyone who figured out Gabby was the werewolf. Also, I promise actual PR characters will show up soon. (And by "soon" I mean "chapter after next.")

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 3**

The front lawn was full of activity. Friday meant the weekend and everyone was trying to finalize their plans before school started.

"So," Kelsi said, sitting beside Martha and Taylor on the main steps, "date with Chad?"

"Maybe," Taylor said, twisting and untwisting a lock of hair around her finger. She was staring at the buses and worrying her lip.

"What's up with her?" Kelsi stage-whispered to Martha.

"It seems there's some social drama this morning," Martha said primly and nodded to the basketball team, all of whom were on the sidewalk, staying as far away from the main building as possible until the bell rang. "Troy found Gabriella's necklace in the locker room after practice yesterday and when word got around to Taylor, she called Gabby's house."

"And?" Kelsi pressed, seeing Troy's worried expression.

"Her mother said she was staying over at …," Martha paused for dramatic effect, "Sharpay's."

"What?" Kelsi cried.

"My words exactly," Taylor said before giving a great huff and standing. "She didn't get off the bus. This is bad. When does Sharpay usually get here?" she asked Kelsi.

"Um." Kelsi scrambled for her bag and pulled out her cell phone. "Right now."

All three girls looked at the main entrance and saw Sharpay's pink convertible rolling in. Sure enough, Gabriella was sitting in the passenger seat.

"Where's Ryan?" Martha asked.

"Right here."

The girls cried out in surprise and turned to see Ryan standing behind them.

"Don't you dare do that again, Evans," Taylor said, slapping his shoulder lightly and putting a hand to her chest. "But since you're here, why don't you tell us what my best friend is doing with your sister?"

Ryan shrugged. "Shar needed some help with the math homework and let Gabriella use our pool in exchange. No big deal."

"Strike that. Huge deal! Since when does Sharpay Evans ask for help? Especially from Gabriella!"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Come on, Shar's not that bad."

Martha guffawed and quickly covered her mouth. "Sorry, it's just … Sharpay's a first class demon wrapped in sparkles and taffeta."

"Exactly," Taylor agreed, ignoring Ryan's shocked expression. Before she could say anything else Gabriella and Sharpay arrived.

"Hey, guys," Gabriella said, smiling. She was slightly pale but the others attributed it to spending the night at Sharpay's.

"Speak of the devil," Martha whispered to Kelsi, who bit back a smile.

"Kelsi," Sharpay said, snapping her fingers, "the new musical. We're doing _Faust_." With that she sauntered into the school.

As Taylor dragged Gabriella aside for some quality best friend time Kelsi and Ryan slowly followed after Sharpay.

"You could have told me, you know," she sighed.

Ryan started. "Told you what?"

"That Gabby was the reason you flaked yesterday. You didn't have to lie. You _shouldn't_ have lied."

Ryan grabbed Kelsi's elbow, stopping her and forcing her to face him. "I didn't lie. There really was an emergency."

"Sharpay actually being civil to Gabriella isn't an emergency. A miracle, sure, but not an emergency. And anyway," she added, pulling away and heading to her locker, "I understand."

Ryan frowned at her tone. "Understand what?"

"You like Gabby."

It took a moment for his brain to wrap around that idea. "No, I don't," he said.

She smiled indulgingly at him. "Everyone knows, Ryan."

"No, they don't!"

"I saw you at Lava Springs. You were giving her puppy dog eyes."

"No, I wasn't!"

"You were always with her."

"We were _rehearsing_. She was my _partner_. You know how this works, Kels."

She shook her head as she spun her lock. With a glance at Sharpay she said, "Whatever you say, Ryan."

"Ryan!" Gabriella and Sharpay called at the same time. Their eyes met for a moment before Sharpay shrugged one shoulder and walked away.

"Wow," Ryan said. "That's the first time I've ever seen Sharpay let someone else go first."

Gabriella grabbed his arm. "I need to borrow him," she said to Kelsi and dragged him away.

"Hey!" Ryan said. "We were having a conversation."

"I know," she said, pulling him into the doorway of a janitor's closet. Since there were no lockers for several feet on either side it was a mostly empty area of the hall. "That's what I need to talk to you about," she hissed.

"What? Why?" Ryan asked warily.

"I don't think you should hang out with Kelsi any more than is strictly necessary."

"Why?"

"I saw you yesterday, Ryan. The things you and Sharpay can do … Kelsi's a nice girl. I don't want you hurting her."

"I would never hurt Kelsi, Gabriella. I'm in full control, so's Sharpay."

"It's not your control I'm worried about. You said yourself that you're evil."

"When was the last time you saw me do something evil?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"Aside from last night," he amended. "And why aren't you telling me to stay away from any of the other members of drama club? Or Martha or Taylor or Chad or Troy or --"

"You know exactly why."

"Obviously I don't or I wouldn't be asking."

Gabriella sighed. "Last night Sharpay asked if I'd seen any horror movies. And I know that in the old monster movies there is one prevailing rule."

"And that is?"

"The bad guy always ends up hurting the girl he loves."

Ryan blinked once. Twice. And marched away. When he collapsed into his seat in homeroom Sharpay tapped his shoulder.

"What?" he asked, leaning back his head to look at her.

"What was all that about?" she asked.

He looked up, making sure no one was close enough to hear and that Kelsi was thoroughly engrossed in talking to Ms. Darbus about the upcoming play. "In the past fifteen minutes Kelsi has tried to convince me I'm in love with Gabriella and Gabriella has tried to convince me I'm in love with Kelsi."

Sharpay bit her lip but couldn't hide her laughing smile.

"What?" Ryan demanded.

"No, nothing."

"Come on, you can't hide it forever. I know you, you don't do secrets well." When she only shook her head and began examining her notebook Ryan's eyes went wide. "You think one of them is right, don't you?"

"Well obviously," Sharpay hissed.

"Who?"

"Gabriella."

Ryan processed this for a moment before asking, "Do you think I'm in love with her or that she's right?"

"Hmm, yes."

"Shar."

"You'll just have to figure it out for yourself, loverboy," she said, and pinched his cheek.

Before he could argue the bell rang and Ms. Darbus called the class to order with the announcement of _Faust_ as the Autumn Musicale.

#

"Hey," Gabriella said as she emerged onto the school's roof during free period.

Troy smiled thinly. "Hey. How's it going?"

She sighed. "Okay."

"Just okay?" He took the small set of stairs two at a time and pushed a lock of hair from her eyes. "You're not looking too good."

"It was a long night."

He laughed, "Yeah, I can't imagine spending that much time around Sharpay."

She decided not to remind him about all the time he'd spent with her last summer and let him believe that Sharpay really was the cause of her tired demeanor. She hadn't had that many questions about being a werewolf. Pop culture had done a fairly good job of educating her on lycanthropy and she'd only needed Sharpay to clarify a few of the particulars. The thing that kept her up though, had been coming to terms with the fact that she was now Gabriella Montez, werewolf. She would never be able to give blood, try going vegan, sit in the moonlight with Troy. That last one had prompted quite a few tears and she'd been thankful that she'd been offered a guest room instead of a sleeping bag on Sharpay's floor.

"I found your necklace," he said suddenly, digging the chain out of his pocket. "It's broken though. I'll need to get a new chain."

"I have one," she said quickly, fingering the chain around her throat. Sharpay had given it to her, with an assurance that it wasn't real silver, but she wasn't about to tell Troy that. He gently strung the pendant on the new chain and spun her around.

"Perfect," he said and she blushed. "So, what's up with you and Sharpay?"

Gabriella sighed. "I don't know. I mean, we were almost friends at the end of summer and then --"

"Summer ended?"

"Yeah. It was nice when all of us were together. And this is our last year. I don't want to waste it feuding with her."

"I understand. But I still want some alone time with you too. So how about Saturday? Seven o'clock?"

Gabriella winced. Saturday was the full moon. "No, I already promised Sharpay I'd come over again."

"Again?" Troy echoed. "Wow, you're really dedicated to this whole friendship thing. Are you sure you're feeling all right?" He reached up to feel her forehead and she dodged away, laughing. "No, seriously," he said, chasing after her, "you could be sick. We may have to quarantine you."

A quiet clearing throat made them both stop.

"Taylor," Gabriella said, seeing the girl on the stairway leading down into the school.

"I just came up here to tell you they're working on the bells. If you don't hurry you'll be late for next period."

"Oh no!" Gabriella said, rushing down the stairs after her friend. Troy followed more slowly, content now that he knew the cause for all the drama. He actually felt a bit silly for overreacting when he'd found the broken chain and pendant in the locker room. It all made perfect sense and he should have had more faith in Gabriella. Though, he couldn't quite silence that nagging voice in the back of his mind, telling him that something still wasn't right.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	4. Chapter 4

AN: I'm sorry this chapter is so short. I would normally combine it with the next chapter (especially since I haven't updated in almost two weeks) but real life is cutting into my writing time and I want to make sure you guys get new chapters in a reasonable amount of time. But, I'm toying with an idea that I need your feedback on. I need to know how many people would like a reader's guide type reference for either PR or HSM (for those of you who are only fans of one or the other). So please, tell me in your review (or PM me if you forget) if you want one and if I get enough of a response I'll start making one. And when you decide, keep in mind that the next chapter is when PR really starts making an impact on the story. If the response is high enough I'll post the guide in my LJ in the next few days.

**Men and Monsters**

**Chapter 4**

Ryan finally gave up attempting to eat his lunch and walked over to the ledge. He leaned against the railing, watching the students below him talking and eating.

He knew Kelsi was wrong, had known it the moment she said it. The idea that he liked Gabriella as more than a friend and occasional dance partner was so absurd that he'd almost laughed aloud, probably would have if he hadn't been talking to Kelsi at the time. He knew her well enough to know that laughing outright at any of her ideas, no matter how completely wrong, was a bad idea. Kelsi would never seek revenge for something like that, but she'd get this look on her face every time he was around and … well, he had to rehearse with her for basically the rest of high school and he wasn't about to do something that would ruin his senior year.

But she was wrong. And so was Gabriella. He would _never_ hurt Kelsi. Or any of them for that matter. It didn't escape his notice that he was ignoring the other half of Gabriella's pronouncement when he made that argument and he quickly reminded himself that he _did_ love Kelsi. She was his friend and one of the only friends he had who really understood why theater was so important to him. And coming from a life that had taken place almost entirely in an evil pit several miles deep, friendship was not something he was about to take for granted.

But … if Kelsi was only his friend, even a true, forever friend, what would make Gabby confuse that with something more?

"Ryan?" a tentative voice asked.

"Hey, Seth," Ryan said, smiling. Seth was one of the Drama Club's best actors. He couldn't carry a tune to save his life, but he could out-monologue anyone at the drop of a hat. "What's up?"

"Do you know where Sharpay is? I need to ask her about the rehearsal schedule."

Ryan sighed. "Ask Ms. D. I know my dear sister acts like she's in charge all the time, but she's not. Trust me."

"Okay," Seth said with a sheepish smile and returned to the table.

Ryan frowned and scanned the room for anything bright pink but Sharpay was nowhere to be found. He suddenly remembered the book she'd been reading the day before and wondered if she was up to something less than ethical. He quickly grabbed his tray and headed to the trash cans. Kelsi might know where she was, but asking Kelsi meant Gabriella would hear and he didn't want to deal with her disapproving expression. He would just have to search for her on his own.

"Hey," a small voice said when he set his empty tray on the pile. He whirled to see Kelsi. A quick glance towards the cafeteria at large told him that no one at the girls' table could see them.

"Hey," he echoed, relaxing.

"You know," she said, stepping past him to throw out the remainder of her own lunch, "I'm not really mad at you. You're allowed to talk to me."

"I know, I just -- it's been a weird couple of days. Hey, do you know where Sharpay is?"

Kelsi smiled cheekily. It was odd for the twins to lose track of each other. "I think she's in the computer lab. Why? Don't tell me she's up to something again. Gabby was just saying that she thinks Sharpay might be a good person underneath it all."

Ryan paused at that. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What do you think? About Sharpay, I mean."

Kelsi sighed and looked at a point just over his shoulder. "I think Sharpay … can be anything she wants to be. But I don't think she knows that."

Ryan gaped.

"No, let me finish," Kelsi said, holding up a hand. "Sharpay knows she's a good actress -- when she wants to be -- she knows she has a good voice, she knows she looks good enough. But she doesn't know that that's enough. I think she really believes that if she doesn't make sure that she gets the part she wants she'll go unnoticed. And that's why she always has to manipulate everyone. She's afraid of being left behind."

Ryan nodded slowly. "She thinks she has to be evil."

"Well, I wouldn't go that far," Kelsi laughed. "And you still haven't answered my question."

"Promise you won't tell the others?" At her nod he said, "I think she might be up to something, but I have no idea. I'll tell you when I know more."

Kelsi nodded. "Hey, you better get going. Lunch is over in five minutes."

"Oh, crap!" Ryan hissed and ran through the red double doors.

A look from a teacher as he rounded a corner in the halls forced him to slow down and by the time he reached the lab he was mentally reciting words that he wasn't even sure were words, let alone curses. He caught sight of his sister's blonde locks over the monitors and made his way over to her as quietly as possible. As it was, he only caught a glimpse of the image on the screen before she closed the window and turned to smile at him.

"What's up?" she asked sweetly.

He fought to keep his temper in check as he grabbed the rolling chair from the computer next to hers and brought it over, sitting down as close to her as he could.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "That was the symbol of the Master!"

"Ryan," Sharpay started but he cut her off.

"No, Shar. I knew you were still … but no! He is dead and gone and even if he wasn't, we are _not_ those people anymore. We made a choice. We're not going back."

Sharpay closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We'll talk about this when we get home."

The bell rang before he could take a breath to argue. "Fine," he ground out. "But I'm not changing my mind."

"I know," she said, gathering her things.

#

When the final bell rang Ryan kept pace behind his sister, not willing to risk her finding some way of avoiding their conversation. At their lockers he kept one eye on her as he loaded up his backpack with the books he'd need for the weekend.

"Stop scowling at me like that," Sharpay snapped.

"I'm not scowling," he said.

"You'll give yourself wrinkles."

"Hey, guys!" Kelsi said, coming around the corner.

Ryan forced a smile and Sharpay waved without turning around. As she opened her locker, Kelsi elbowed Ryan in the back.

"Ow," he said, finally taking his eyes off his sister. "What was that for?"

"So?" Kelsi asked, nodding over his shoulder. "What's up?"

He cast a glance back at Sharpay who raised her eyebrows sarcastically as if to say "I'm still here."

"I don't know yet," he said slowly.

"Well, find out. I don't want her ruining _Faust_."

"Hey," he said, a thought occurring to him, "are you going to start working on the score this weekend?"

"Yeah," she sighed, loading up her bag. "I like to have as much time as possible."

"Mind if I come over and help?" he asked. Spending time alone with Kelsi would give him a chance to test Gabriella's theory.

"Um, sure, I--" Her phone rang and he recognized the tune from _Oklahoma_. "Hold on," she said, giving him an apologetic smile. "Hello? Oh my gosh! Seriously? Oh wow. Have I ever told you how much I love you? Okay, I'll be right over!" She closed the phone and held it to her chest.

"What's up?" Ryan asked, taking in her giddy smile.

"Only the best thing ever! Okay, I have to go." She slammed her locker and shouldered her bag. "I'll call you later about practice," she called, already disappearing into the crowd.

"Wow," Sharpay said, coming up behind Ryan. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone actually squee before."

Ryan turned around slowly. "Don't think this means you're off the hook."

Sharpay shrugged and sauntered past him. "I've never seen Kelsi so happy. I wonder who she was talking to."

Ryan clenched his fists, telling himself he was only angry because of his sister's flippant attitude.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Everything except the plot belongs to Disney. (Yes, it occurred to me I needed to update this for one minor reference.)

AN: Okay, this is the first PR heavy chapter. For those of you who feel yourselves getting lost/need a refresher/know nothing I have created a guide to everything you need to know (and some things you don't) for this story. You may or may not need it but I'm providing it just in case. It's on my LJ page and the link is in my profile under "Current Stories." For this chapter all you need to know is Mystic Force (though, again, you may be able to survive without it) but the Overdrive section would be useful for future chapters. Hopefully that's not too much reading for all of you.

AN2: Thanks to angellwings for the album suggestion.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 5**

"All right," Ryan demanded, "spill."

Sharpay crossed her arms, ignoring Boi, who had come to greet her the moment she entered the house. "I found out what we are," she said tightly.

"What?" Ryan asked, confused.

"We're not just random demon kids left to our own devices. We have actual parents."

"Yeah, but they're probably --"

"Sorcerers," Sharpay interrupted. "They're sorcerers."

"What?" Ryan asked quietly, leaning against a small table and almost overturning the vase of flowers.

"Do you remember Calindor?" Sharpay asked, pacing.

"Yeah," Ryan said, nodding. "He turned on the Mystics and the Master rewarded him."

"See, that's the thing," Sharpay said. "I always thought the story was too easy. All he has to do is turn on his compatriots and he gets all these powers? It doesn't seem to make sense. I mean, I could understand if the Master gave him a place in his army and maybe a few perks, but nothing like the complete overhaul of power Calindor got. There had to be more to it … and there was." She stopped pacing. "He had a bit more incentive to switch sides than we thought."

"What more could there be? He wanted power, the Master had it."

"The final battle wasn't the first time Calindor betrayed the Mystics."

"That doesn't --"

"He and one of the Master's more powerful female servants had a tryst."

Ryan could feel his nails digging into the antique wood but he didn't care. If Sharpay was saying what he thought she was …

"They had a child. Or, two children, to be precise."

"Us," Ryan rasped.

Sharpay nodded. "For all the fornicating the evil guys do they don't exactly have a lot of kids. And our parents were powerful sorcerers, each on a different side of the war, more or less. Giving us to the Master's cause gave Calindor a bit more sway. That's how he got the power upgrade."

"So why wasn't anyone making sure we kept up the whole children of the corn thing? If you're right, we're supposed to be super evil, why were we allowed to leave?"

"Leanbow."

Ryan nodded slowly. Leanbow was the card the Master had never counted on being dealt. Transforming the leader of the Mystics into an agent of evil should have been a winning move.

"And," Sharpay added, "we weren't exactly living up to our potential. We were evil and all just … not super evil." She shrugged.

"We're powerful enough," Ryan said defensively, stepping away from the table. "But if you already knew all this, why were you looking for the Master on the internet?"

"Don't you get it?" Sharpay asked, her eyes shining excitedly. "Calindor may have died but our mother is still alive somewhere. The records I found say that she was imprisoned before the Great Battle. We could find her."

Ryan nodded slowly, going through the facts in his mind. It wasn't uncommon for evil parents to put their unborn children into hibernation. It protected them from the good forces in the universe and held off the birth, a powerful event in and of itself, until a more opportune time. That explained how they hatched so long after the Master's imprisonment, but it didn't tell him if their mother was any better than their father had been. He looked at his sister. She was really and truly happy about the idea of finding their mother, no matter that the woman was apparently evil to the core and probably going to be angry when she was freed and learned that the Master was gone for good.

"Shar," he started sadly.

"I've already started looking and I've got contacts all over the magical planes looking for her. You won't have to do a thing." She finally picked up Boi and smiled as he licked her face. "We're gonna find her, I just know it."

Ryan sighed, opting for the strategy that had served him best throughout his life. "Whatever makes you happy, Shar." He kissed her forehead and headed to his room.

#

"No," Kelsi said for what had to be the hundredth time.

"But --"

"No. I will not play fetch with the dragon."

Nick rolled his eyes and Madison giggled.

"You'll just have to do it yourself," Madison said, teasing.

"Now," Udonna said sternly, overhearing their conversation while she read from the Xenotome. "Before he gets cranky."

Nick rolled his eyes but did as he was told.

"So," Vida said, taking Nick's vacant seat and trapping Kelsi between her and Madison, "what's up on Planet Kelsi?"

Kelsi shrugged. "Well, we finally decided on the autumn musical. We're doing Faust, which was totally surprising. It doesn't sound like Sharpay at all."

"Wait," Madison said, "she's the pink one, right?"

Vida rolled her eyes. "A disgrace to the color, if you ask me."

"Oh, and there was some drama at school today."

"Now the fun starts."

Kelsi rolled her eyes. "Gabriella, who is literally the nicest girl you could ever meet, spent the night at Sharpay's. They are complete opposites and it horrified half the student body."

"There's nothing wrong with making new friends," Madison said. "I think it's a good thing."

"No way," Vida said. "From everything you've said about this girl, I doubt she's up to anything good."

From above them Udonna clucked disapprovingly. "You shouldn't influence your cousin like that, girls. She is more familiar with the situation than you are and ultimately her opinion is the one that matters, not yours."

"We know," Vida said with a devious smile. "That's why we always take opposing sides."

"Even if we agree," Madison added.

"Okay," Kelsi said, "but as much as I love your friends, I really want to see Toby."

Vida and Madison exchanged a glance.

"That's my little audiofile," Vida said, hugging Kelsi around the shoulders.

"Hey, you're the ones who promised me an original cast recording of _Oklahoma_."

"Come on," Madison said, laughing.

"Bye, Udonna!" Kelsi called over her shoulder.

"Come back anytime," Udonna said serenely, but her brow furrowed the moment they were gone. The Xenotome, it seemed, was foretelling some dark event. She just hoped her rangers could handle it.

#

Chad hugged Taylor to his chest on the bleachers. The football team was playing an away game, which left the field empty for two teenagers in search of some privacy.

"So," he said, resting his chin on her shoulder, "what's up?"

She sighed. "Gabriella."

Chad bit back a groan. "I thought we were done with that. She's reaching out. Nothing weird there."

"She's spending tomorrow night at the Evans' place too. Doesn't that seem at all strange to you?" she asked, turning her shoulders as much as she could with his arms firmly locked around her waist.

"Gabby's always been nice. What's weird is that Sharpay is putting up with it."

"She's up to something," Taylor said firmly.

Chad chuckled and pulled her close once more. "Sharpay is always up to something. Anyway, it probably has to do with the new musical Darbus was talking about this morning. Is Gabriella even going out for it?"

Taylor shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't talked to her about it yet."

"Well, I think you should before you start freaking out. If she's not, then you only have to worry about Kelsi, and Small Person can totally handle Sharpay."

Taylor craned her neck to look back at him. "You know Kelsi's gonna get you back for that nickname one of these days."

"I know. But I'll have you to protect me."

Before she could make an argument for female solidarity he kissed her.

#

Ryan sat on the piano bench, attempting to keep his mind focused on Bach, but his traitorous eyes always ended up traveling to his book bag in the corner.

"Ducky?" his mother called from the door. "I thought that was you," she said with a smile and quietly closed the door behind her.

"Hi, Mom," he said. He feigned interest in the sheet music when Sharpay's words from the night before came back to him. _Our fake mother. _

She took a seat beside him on the bench and took over playing. "You know, I used to be the musical genius in this family."

He smiled at her teasing tone.

"But I am more than happy," she continued, "to relinquish my title to you and your sister. My little performers," she cooed.

"Mom," he half-whined.

She nudged his shoulder and started playing half of a duet. He quickly joined in, his mind going back to the first time he'd heard it.

_He stepped cautiously into the music room, not wanting to stop the beautiful sounds that were emanating from within. Derby Evans sat near the window, her hands deftly moving over the large harp before her. _

_"Come in," she said, the song never breaking. _

_"I'm sorry," he said hurriedly, "I just wanted to -- wanted to reassure you, I guess," he finished lamely. _

_"It's all right," she said, setting the instrument away from her and standing up, arching her back. When she saw the way he looked at the harp she said, "Not many people play that particular instrument anymore." _

_"Why do you?" he asked before he could stop himself. _

_She smiled when he blushed at his own bluntness. "I wanted to," she said with a shrug. "It was something that set me apart from my peers. Now this," she added, walking to the piano in the corner, "is a much more common instrument." She took a seat and motioned with her head for him to join her. "I'm guessing you don't play." _

_"A little," he admitted. Her eyes widened and he explained, "There was this place under the Underworld. We weren't supposed to go there but sometimes we did. This old ship captain named Davey was down there. He taught me sometimes." _

_"Well then," she said and slapped her knees as she stood. She went to a filing cabinet in the corner and opened it. "I don't need reassuring, you know," she said quietly. "And even if I did, I'm supposed to be the mother here." _

_"But … it's a big change. And it's strange because we won't be …" _

_She closed the drawer more loudly than was strictly necessary. "Yes, you will. I don't care about the spells or the magic or the evil. As far as I'm concerned, I am your mother and nothing will change that. Now, this is one of my favorite songs, but it requires two sets of hands. Think you can handle it?" _

_He looked over the music and nodded slowly. "I think so." _

_"Good," she said and started playing. _

"How is Sharpay doing?" she asked, pulling him out of his memory.

"What?"

She smiled sadly. "I know I should ask her myself, but I think that might make it worse. So, is this something you can tell me or is it protected by the twin confidentiality code?"

He shrugged. "She's just confused."

"College?" Derby guessed.

Ryan bit his lip and nodded. "Yeah. It's just a lot of stuff, you know?"

"I do. I remember those days."

They focused on the song then and Ryan was thankful for the chance to lose himself in the music, though his traitorous eyes had returned and made that a tad difficult. When they finished Derby stood.

"Thank you, sweetheart," she said, pushing his hat back so she could kiss his hair. She replaced it with a gentle squeeze and headed towards the door. "Oh, and, Ducky?" she called at the door. "Just call the girl already. I don't think I could handle you trying not to look at your cell phone all through dinner."

Ryan ducked his head. "Yes, ma'am," he said.

He trudged across the room and dug around in his bag for the phone. He waited patiently while Kelsi's rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Kels," he said. "I -- um, Sharpay wanted me to call you," he babbled. He whirled to the musical instruments as if to ask them why he would say something so completely stupid.

"Why?" she asked, though she sounded distracted.

"Well … she -- was that a growl?"

"Um, yeah, there's this really big … dog following us."

"Us?"

"Yeah, it's me and -- Toby!" Kelsi cried. "Oh my gosh, I've missed you!"

"Hey, sweety," a male voice said.

"Listen," she said hurriedly, "Ryan, I've gotta go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"O--" she hung up, "kay." He stared at the phone for a moment. Who was Toby?

* * *

_reviews kick my bunnies into gear, which means faster chapters_


	6. Chapter 6

AN (for the PR fans): I know there was that whole OO episode with luck and how could it matter and blah, blah, blah. It's my fanfiction, I'll change things if I want (especially since I never understood how that episode was important in finding out who Mack was or Mack's eventual transformation, which were the only good reasons for putting it there (even if it was funny)).

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 6**

"Andrew!" Derby cried, rushing to hug one of her oldest friends.

"Derby, how have you been?"

"Terrible!" she said, slapping his shoulder lightly. "I haven't seen you since the Hastings' Christmas party."

Andrew rolled his eyes as Vance slapped him on the back. "You know I'd visit more, but the government keeps me busy."

Vance frowned. "You never should have gotten involved in all that Power Rangers nonsense. And you should have warned us. Not five minutes after that interview the kids gave my phone was ringing off the hook. People from all over the world wanted to know if I was in on the project. At least Collins had the good sense to keep the ranger business to himself."

Andrew shrugged. "Well, there are a few things I need to talk to you about concerning the rangers."

"Does this have anything to do with why Spencer keeps circling the driveway?" Derby asked, watching the town car slowly go around the Evans' massive front lawn.

"Yes," Andrew sighed. "I didn't want to shock you. And this is part of why I've stayed away so long. I wasn't entirely sure how to tell you, even after the rangers were retired."

"Tell us what?" Vance asked, worried now.

Andrew took a deep breath and shrugged. "About Mack."

"Oh no!" Derby cried. "Don't tell me he was hurt. I still can't believe you gave him those powers."

Andrew blinked. "What? What are you talking about?"

"About Mackenzie being a Power Ranger. I don't think I could stand letting Ryan do anything so dangerous."

"You know about Mack?" Andrew asked slowly.

"Of course," Vance said. "Though I'll admit we were a bit insulted to hear about it along with the rest of America. I remember when we watched the interview, Derby was saying how much he'd grown since the last time we saw him."

Andrew looked between his friends. Vance and Derby Evans had always been a bit … off, but they'd never been outright delusional. "When did you see Mack?" Andrew asked.

The Evans shared a frown and Derby said, "Well, I think the last time you were over was the kids' … thirteenth?" Vance nodded. "Yes, their thirteenth," Derby said. "I remember Mack cannonballed into the pool and soaked poor Sharpay. I can't believe you've kept him away so long at those boarding schools," she added with a teasing smirk.

Andrew considered this. Mack could not have been at the twins' thirteenth birthday because he distinctly remembered feeling guilty for spending that day working on Mack's dexterity instead of attending the party. Could his friends be under the influence of some evil force? But what evil would want to make his oldest friends think his son was real? It was more likely that the Crown had somehow affected his friends' memories to make Mack's adjustment to humanity easier. But why? And why would it only effect Vance and Derby? No one else had false memories of Mack.

"You know Mack?" he asked, just to be certain. "You've met him before?"

"Of course!" Vance said, laughing. "Now what was it you wanted to tell us about him?"

"I'm beginning to worry," Derby added.

Andrew decided to let it go. He would have to ask Sentinel Knight about this later. "He's been taking some time off of school to work with me and he's tired of people asking when he's going back," he lied quickly.

"Oh," Derby chastised. "Is that all? Go get him out of that car. I can't believe you thought we would be so inconsiderate."

Vance shrugged as Derby sashayed down the hall. "Don't mind her. Sharpay's been a tad out of sorts lately and it's getting to her."

Andrew nodded and headed back out the door. He took the steps two at a time and waited for Spencer to bring the car around. When Mack slowly opened the door Andrew smiled at him. "Apparently, the last time they saw you was Sharpay and Ryan's thirteenth birthday party."

"What?" Mack asked.

Spencer, hearing this, hurried around the side of the car to ask, "Are you certain, sir?"

"They think they've known you for years," Andrew said. "As best I can figure, the Crown altered their memories."

"But they've never been anywhere near the Crown," Spencer said.

"I'll ask Sentinel Knight about it later," Andrew said, clapping Mack on the shoulder. "But right now we'd better get in there before Derby decides she's not going to feed me."

"Wait," Mack said, hanging back, "who are Sharpay and Ryan?"

#

It was, without a doubt, the most stressful dinner of Andrew's life. He knew there had been nothing wrong with Mack's memory before he became human. Rose had accessed his files with no trouble shortly before the miracle. But what other explanation could there be for everyone having memories Mack didn't? Spencer was the one who came up with the answer and Andrew was sorry to say it was the only thing that made sense: Someone had magically altered things while Mack was still an android, and thus impervious to most magics. But what had changed? The only discrepancy was the twins.

These questions left Andrew wondering all through dinner. While he made small talk with Derby and Vance he wondered if they were the people he once knew and while Sharpay and Ryan tried to talk to a very close-mouthed Mack he wondered if the two were even real at all.

"So," Vance said, "you said you were working with the government?"

Andrew nodded, casting the twins yet another sidelong glance. "I've been asked to help create a new ranger program." It didn't escape Andrew's notice that the twins both seemed to tense at the word "ranger."

"Why didn't they ask Collins?" Derby asked.

Andrew sighed. "The powers Collins' man used were apparently from the distant future. He had nothing to do with their creation. He's exempt from the hassle."

"Lucky dog," Vance said.

"I still can't believe," Derby said to Mack, "that your father let you become a ranger. He was always so protective of you."

Mack shot his father a look before saying, "I didn't give him much choice. I morphed without his permission."

"But not again," Andrew said. "Those new Red powers we've been working on will go to a carefully chosen, government approved individual."

Mack shrugged. "Fine with me. Dying once was more than enough."

"Dying?" Derby demanded.

"It's all right, Derby," Andrew said, patting Mack's shoulder. "He's just fine now."

"But … how? What happened?"

Sharpay sighed loudly. "I'm sorry but … I don't think I want to hear about someone dying," she said uncomfortably.

"Oh, of course, pumpkin," Vance said. "Ryan?"

"Let's go," Ryan said, taking his sister's elbow. "It was nice seeing you again, Mr. Hartford, Mack. You have to get ready for Gabriella anyway," he said to his sister as they left.

"Gabriella?" Andrew asked when the door closed.

Derby smiled. "A girl from school. Sharpay's having her over tonight. And don't think that gets you off the hook. Tell us about this dying nonsense."

#

Taylor felt really bad about what she was doing, but not bad enough to actually stop. She knew it was a crime to sneak onto the Evans' property but she was fairly certain that, if caught, she could convince any authority figures that it was a childish prank and be let off with little more than a slap on the wrist. It was actually easier than she'd thought it would be. When one of the maids left, she snuck through the gate and in through a back door. She was lucky to hear Sharpay telling someone where to bring the snacks for the sleepover and simply trailed that someone until she found herself in the basement. A big screen TV was set up at the far end of the room, with two rows of theater seats before it. There was even a candy bar and popcorn maker, though neither was stocked. A curtain ran around the room to make it look more like a theater and Taylor hid behind that. It was hours before anyone came in and by then she had exchanged over two dozen texts with Chad debating her current level of insanity.

"So," Sharpay was saying, "I'll spend the night down here, watching werewolf movies."

Taylor pulled the curtain aside slightly so she could see. It figured that Sharpay would wear sparkly pink pajamas.

"Why did I think you'd be sensitive about this?" Ryan asked, heading behind the candy bar.

Gabriella shrugged. "And where should I be?"

"There's a bomb shelter over here," Ryan said. He bent down and Taylor guessed he opened a trap door. "This is the only way in or out so it should be secure."

Gabriella bit her lip and Taylor gaped, she'd never seen her friend so shook up. "Will it … will it hurt?"

Ryan and Sharpay exchanged a glance. "Did it hurt last time?" he asked.

"I wasn't thinking about it last time."

And then Sharpay did something that almost made Taylor give herself away she was so shocked. Sharpay put her arm around Gabriella's shoulders.

"You'll be fine," she said. "After all, you were strong enough to stand up to me."

Gabriella laughed at that. "I guess. Thank you, for taking care of me. Both of you," she added, smiling at Ryan.

Ryan shrugged uncomfortably and gestured to the open door.

"Night," Gabriella said before descending.

When the door was closed Ryan sighed. "So, do you want me to stay or …"

"I can handle it," Sharpay said flippantly.

A crash sounded from behind the candy bar and both looked casually over it.

"Sounds like she was just in time," Ryan said. "You need anything, you call me."

Sharpay rolled her eyes at his back. "Whatever, little brother."

"And no taunting!" he added, turning around. "That door doesn't open until dawn."

Sharpay nodded insultingly and took a seat.

Over the next half hour Taylor debated what to do. Crashes continued to come from the closed door and she swore she could even hear someone crying. What the hell was going on between Gabriella and the Evans? Finally, after a particularly animal-like cry, Taylor decided she had to move. With a glance at Sharpay to make sure the girl was thoroughly engrossed in the movie she crept under the curtain. She slunk across the back of the room, carefully keeping her head beneath the seat backs so that Sharpay wouldn't see her if she turned around. She crawled quickly around the candy bar and was shocked to see that there was only a small latch keeping the door locked. She bit her lip as she pulled it, thankful that the sound was drowned out by a sudden howl. Taylor rolled her eyes, she never would have guessed Sharpay liked horror movies.

Gently, she lifted up the door and looked down. There was a metal ladder built into one cement wall and across from it was a heavy door that had to be for the shelter. Something hit the door, making Taylor jump, and it swung open slightly. Biting her lip she bent down into the hole.

"Gabby?" she whispered. When there was no answer she reached down and put her hand on the first rung of the ladder so she could lean in further. "Gabriella!" she hissed.

The door opened slightly and she caught sight of two glowing red eyes before a hand at her collar pulled her back. The eyes came forward and with them a snarling jaw that snapped dangerously close to Taylor's face.

"Stop!" Sharpay cried, her free hand coming around Taylor to touch the creature's nose. The thing went still as stone and Sharpay pulled Taylor behind her. "Back," Sharpay ordered, her voice cold but firm. She pushed the creature back into the hole. When it was fully in she jumped up and slammed the door into place.

Taylor looked at the door for several seconds before looking up at Sharpay and saying, "That thing was wearing Gabriella's necklace."

Sharpay sighed and glanced at the TV, which showed a young man transforming into a werewolf. Taylor followed her gaze and let out a shuddering breath.

"I think," Sharpay said, "that we should deal with this in the morning."

Taylor turned back to her sharply only to find Sharpay's finger on her forehead. "Sleep," she said and Taylor didn't even remember hitting the floor.

* * *

_reviews make me happy and happy authors write more_


	7. Chapter 7

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 7**

"Wow," Taylor breathed when Gabriella had finished telling her story. Gabriella was just beginning to worry that Taylor's world had been shaken a bit too far off center when Taylor turned to glare at Sharpay. "And you let that demon dog run loose?" she demanded. Gabriella sighed in relief, Taylor was back.

"Boi has always been perfectly behaved," Sharpay said. "Until now anyway. And you broke into my house! What were you thinking?"

"That you _weren't _a demon child from the depths of Hell," Taylor shot back.

"It's not Hell," Ryan muttered from the window seat. The four of them were in Sharpay's room, trying to sort through the events of the night before. Gabriella and Taylor were on the bed while Sharpay was sitting on a pink leopard print couch.

Taylor ignored him and turned back to Gabriella. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"Because," Gabriella said. "You're rational and logical and you wouldn't have believed me."

"Why didn't you tell Troy?" she asked more quietly.

"Because …," her eyes strayed to Ryan, "the monster in the movie always ends up hurting the person he loves. Or she loves in this case."

"Okay," Taylor said, taking charge, "first of all, you are _not_ a monster. You simply have a disease. And it could be worse. It's not like lycanthropy kills you. Does it?" she added, looking at Sharpay.

Sharpay shook her head.

"Good," Taylor continued. "So it's nothing horrible. Sure, for one night a month you have to sleep in a bomb shelter. At least we have bomb shelters. Imagine if you were a lycanthrope in some third world country and your village didn't even have running water. Here we have the means to keep you safe."

"You mean keep everyone else safe," Gabriella muttered, pulling her knees up under her chin.

"No, I mean keep _you_ safe. I don't want my best friend killed by some psycho who thinks he's going to save the world from the forces of darkness by killing a few innocent lycanthropy victims."

"How are you okay with this?" Gabriella asked.

"Her?" Sharpay demanded. "What about you? I mean, you weren't as incredibly easygoing about it as Taylor is, but you got over the shock pretty fast."

Gabriella smiled self-consciously. "We lived in Angel Grove a few years ago. It may have been years after the rangers left, but it was still Angel Grove." She turned to Taylor questioningly.

Taylor shrugged. "It's a problem. I know how to deal with problems. And anyway, you're still my best friend. A stupid dog bite isn't going to change that."

On the other side of the room Ryan sighed. Why was this so easy for the two of them? He could think of no one he had known growing up who would handle a situation like this the way they were. Was friendship really all they needed to deal with this monumental problem?

"Um, girls?" he asked, spotting a commotion on the lawn. "I think one of you had better go downstairs."

"Why?" Sharpay asked.

"Because I see a very distinctive head of hair running from the butler."

"Chad!" Taylor cried. She leapt off the bed, Gabriella only a step behind her.

#

"I told him!" Troy called from his truck as Taylor, Gabriella, Chad, and Ryan approached. The two girls had managed to stop Chad, who had hugged Taylor tight upon seeing her, and Ryan had calmed the butler down, promising him that nothing like this would ever happen again. Chad had then informed them that Troy was waiting in the truck just out of sight. He'd agreed to drive Chad, but not to come any nearer the house than was necessary.

"Told him what?" Taylor asked.

"Nothing," Chad said quickly, with a pointed look at his friend.

"That you were safe," Troy laughed. "For hours last night I couldn't get to sleep because every five minutes this guy would call me and ask if I thought Sharpay might be some sort of vampire princess."

Ryan choked as Chad snapped, "I did not say 'vampire princess.'"

"You totally did, dude. But my favorite theory has to be the Stepford Wives one. He thought you were going to come out of there singing and wearing head to toe pink."

Chad shook his head menacingly but Gabriella cut in.

"Everyone is fine," she sighed. "But you boys can give us a ride home."

"There's not enough room," Chad said.

Taylor smirked. "You can ride in the back."

"That's illegal," Ryan pointed out.

"Then he can walk," Taylor said. "Come on, Gabby. It was nice seeing you, Ryan."

"Bye," Ryan said.

Troy shrugged and unlocked the door as Chad gaped at the girls.

"Oh!" Taylor leaned across Gabriella and Troy. "Ryan, about what Gabby told you at school on Friday. I totally agree."

"When did you hear about that?" he asked. "And what about all that stuff about disease and friendship?"

"You don't have a disease. And I saw Sharpay. If you're even close to that, I will tell Kelsi to stay far, _far_ away."

As they drove off Chad turned to Ryan. "What's this about Small Person?"

Ryan moaned. "I would _never_ hurt Kelsi! How many times do I have to tell people this?" He marched back towards the house, leaving Chad standing alone on the roadside.

#

Kelsi watched in amazement as Vida and Matoombo worked the DJ tables.

"They are really good," she said swinging her legs over the side of the counter.

"I know," Toby said. "I've always said music is universal. I just didn't think it was interdimensional too."

Madison laughed from the register. "Well, as nice a sentiment as that is, it's getting late and we promised Kelsi's parents we'd get her home in time to finish all her homework ."

Chip, who was looking through CDs, said, "Was this before or after you apologized for keeping her all weekend when it was only supposed to be a few hours?"

"After," Vida called. "Definitely after!"

Kelsi bit back a giggle. "Just so long as I got my _Oklahoma_. Thanks again, Toby."

"Anything for you, kiddo," he said, tilting her hat up. "You were always my favorite member of the Rocca family."

Vida stuck out her tongue just as the door opened with a chime.

"Excuse me?" a young man asked.

"Can I help you?" Madison asked, stepping forward.

The man smiled. "Madison, right?"

"How did you know?" Madison asked, looking to her friends in confusion.

"I'm Mack. Overdrive Red?"

"Oh! Xander told us about you."

"Ditto," Mack said with a smile. "And I'm looking for him. My Dad and I kind of have a magic question."

"He's at Rootcore," Chip said, coming over, "I can take you. Are you coming?" he asked, glancing at Madison and Kelsi.

"No way," Kelsi said quickly. "No offense," she added, smiling at Mack, "I think you're cool and all, but I do not want any part of this ranger madness. Aside from the perks where I get music."

Madison chuckled. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

#

"You what?" Xander asked after Mack and Andrew had explained. Leanbow had stayed to listen and lend whatever help he could to Mack, Andrew, and Spencer's predicament, though he'd apologized that Udonna was out helping Nick fix his motorcycle.

"I don't remember people that everyone else seems to remember," Mack said.

"I even called some of my friends on the flight back," Andrew said. "They claim to have known the Evans twins all their lives. _I've_ known them all their lives," he added fervently. "I remember holding Sharpay in my arms after she was born. I would definitely have added them to Mack's memory, if only as background knowledge."

"But I don't remember them at all," Mack said, shaking his head. "And Mr. and Mrs. Evans remember _me_. They claim to have known me all my life. And I don't just mean since I came online."

Xander looked helplessly to Leanbow. "I have no idea," he said.

Leanbow sighed. "Well, I doubt the Corona would have altered your friends' memories, especially since it doesn't seem to have altered anyone else's. But," he added slowly, "if someone was enacting a large level spell to … create these twins, it's possible that they would have overlooked the alterations needed to make the spell work on machinery."

"But how does that make the Evans remember me?" Mack asked.

"That may have been a biproduct," Spencer said, stepping forward. "If the Evans had children they would have known your father and any of his children."

"And if you were alive, so to speak, at that point," Andrew said, "it would have been incorporated into the blanket spell."

"Exactly, sir."

Leanbow nodded. "A spell like this forms itself for the most part. It looks at the change that needs to be made and at the world at large, then alters the latter to make the former fit. Whoever enacted it probably had no idea they were even adding Mack's existence to the spell."

Andrew nodded. "But were the twins the original spell?"

* * *

Reviews make my bunnies happy and happy bunnies mean quicker updates.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: This chapter is for the totally amazing Catt001/Blue Eyed Dragon Girl. She made some fantastic banners for this story (as if making the trailer that inspired the story wasn't awesome enough) which inspired me to get my butt in gear and write! So I hope you all enjoy.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 8**

Kelsi stepped awkwardly out of the tree in her front yard. She hated traveling through trees and was still not convinced it was entirely possible, despite having done it several times, but it was the fastest way to get from Briarwood to Albuquerque. She stumbled into the yard as the magic faded, landing on her hands and knees in the grass, her backpack hitting her in the head.

"Kelsi?" Ryan asked.

Kelsi leapt back, falling on her butt and clutching her heart. "Jeez! Why do you keep doing that?" she demanded.

"Where did you --?" he looked from her to the tree. "Are you sneaking out?"

Kelsi craned her head back to see that her window on the second floor was slightly ajar. "Yes," she said, deciding that was a simpler explanation, "I'm sneaking out."

"Are you grounded or something? I've been waiting out here for at least half an hour."

"Oh, sorry," she said, climbing to her feet. "My parents must be … out."

"You don't know?" Ryan asked, smiling teasingly.

"What's with the third degree?" Kelsi demanded angrily, fully aware that she had absolutely no reason to be mad at him. She should have chosen a tree in the park to come back on. But she was so eager to get home -- and she certainly hadn't expected Ryan Evans to be waiting on her front lawn.

"Sorry," he said. "I just wanted to see if you were going to work on _Faust_ today."

She bit her lip. She hadn't meant to snap at him, but she'd been so flustered. "No, that's okay. I'd love to work on it." She hurried up the front steps and paused when she didn't hear his footsteps behind her. "Are you coming?"

"Aren't you in trouble?"

"Oh. Well, my parents don't mind you coming over. Especially if it's for school."

Ryan frowned. Somehow, that wasn't as flattering as it should have been.

#

Taylor and Gabriella sat in the Montez living room, idly flipping through magazines which neither was particularly interested in.

"What is it now?" Gabriella asked when Taylor sighed.

"Nothing," Taylor said.

"Tay, I know you. You're dying to ask more questions."

"All right, fine," Taylor said, putting her magazine aside. "Why haven't you told your mom yet? This is the kind of thing that would be good for her to know."

"I don't know. I mean … my mom's always been so straightforward. As far as she's concerned my life plan has always been top two percent of my high school class, Stanford, law school, job at a big law firm. There's no wiggle room."

"Gabby, that's your plan too."

"It _was_ my plan, but now I'm not so sure."

"Why not? Because of this? This is easy. You just have to schedule your life around the full moon. Which, in case you missed fifth grade science, is a completely predictable occurrence."

"But --"

"No buts. You can't just run off to Sharpay's every month without giving your mom an explanation. And what about midterms?"

"What about them?" Gabriella asked long-sufferingly.

"There's a full moon that week, your mom will never let you stay over then if she doesn't know."

"How did you know that?"

"I looked it up on my blackberry while you were making lunch earlier."

"Well, I can't tell her. She'll think I'm crazy. And even if I could prove it to her somehow, _she'd _go crazy."

"You don't know that. Your mom's a pretty tough cookie. I bet she could take it. Promise me you'll at least try."

Gabriella sighed and nodded.

"Before Thanksgiving."

"Taylor! Halloween is only a couple weeks away!"

"I know, but if I give you until Christmas or New Year's then the whole midterm problem goes away. Thanksgiving. I mean it."

The lock on the front door clicked open and both girls looked up to see Mrs. Montez coming in.

"Ah, Taylor, I didn't know you were coming over today."

"Where have you been, Mommy?" Gabriella asked, hurrying over to help her mother with grocery bags.

"Well, after church I got dragged to a movie by Lindsay Babbit. It wasn't so bad but it completely threw off my day. What have you girls been doing?"

"Reading," Taylor said, following the two into the kitchen.

"Homework?" Mrs. Montez asked.

"Finished it yesterday," Gabriella said, stacking boxes of graham crackers in the pantry. "Now we're just whiling away the weekend."

Mrs. Montez frowned as she put the milk away. "You mean you have no other work that needs doing? No college applications, essays, extra credit?"

"Nope," Taylor said. "We finished the applications over summer and I've already mapped out our homework time for the next month, with wiggle room for unforeseen assignments."

"What about the play?"

"What play?" Gabriella asked.

"The one at school. Are you going to try out?"

Gabriella and Taylor exchanged a look. "I don't know," Gabriella said, hurrying to put pasta away. A week ago she would have said yes without a second thought, but now the thought of performing in a play about demons and a man's slow decent into evil hit a bit too close to home.

"You should seriously consider it. Those extracurricular activities look very good on college applications."

"I'll think about it, Mommy, I promise."

#

"I _know_ it's supposed to be a slow, dramatic number," Ryan sighed. "I'm just saying it could be fast and even _more_ dramatic." He was sitting in a recliner in Kelsi's living room, while she sat at the piano fiddling with the score for _Faust_.

"But he's singing in the street in the middle of the night," Kelsi pointed out. "It's a quiet time."

"Yes, but his mind isn't quiet. The song is all about his internal struggle, which is anything _but _quiet. And this is a high school production. I think you can get away with changing it. Especially since Ms. D's nephew wrote it."

Kelsi rolled her eyes. "Exactly! I don't want to compromise someone else's vision just like you and --" She pulled back, clutching the edge of the seat.

Ryan hung his head. They both knew she was thinking of what he and Sharpay had tried to do to Tinsel Town. "How about we ask Ms. D on Monday? The final decision is hers anyway."

Kelsi nodded quickly. "Have you heard the finale yet?" she asked a bit too brightly.

He shook his head and she turned to the piano, eagerly searching for the piece. He smiled as her hands moved over the keys, bringing the song to life.

The girls were crazy, he decided. The guys he could understand, the wildcats had always had some weird big brother complex where Kelsi was concerned, but the girls' worries were totally out of left field. And anyway, it wasn't like he and Kelsi even spent that much time together. Even now, when they should have been devoting so much time to the show, they'd been having trouble finding time to work together. And that reminded him of their last conversation.

"So, who's Toby?" he asked.

It was a testament to Kelsi's skill that her fingers never faltered and the song went on uninterrupted for several bars.

"It's just that I heard you say his name," Ryan added, "on Saturday."

"Oh, yeah," she said finally, slowly, "… he's a friend."

"Like … a _boy_friend?"

Now Kelsi's fingers did fail her and she swung around on the seat to face Ryan. "No!" she cried, her eyes wide with an emotion Ryan recognized easily: fear. "Oh, God! If his fiancée thought --" She wagged a finger at him. "Don't you ever say anything like that _ever_ again."

"Sorry!" Ryan said, holding up his hands. "So who is he?"

Kelsi sighed. "He's my cousins' boss and he owns a record store. We've always gotten along really well, even though he sort of babies me."

"Don't your cousins live in California?"

The phone rang then and he asked, "Do you want me to -- ?" but Kelsi was already racing from the room. He heard another ring and then the click of the answering machine. As Mr. Nielson's recorded voice echoed down the hall Kelsi walked slowly back into the living room.

"Two rings," she said, collapsing onto the couch. "Who sets the machine for two rings?"

"Your dad apparently," Ryan said, smiling at the picture she made. One leg was on the couch while the other hung uselessly over the side. Her arms were crossed petulantly over her chest and she was pouting at him over the rim of her glasses.

The automated message ended and Mrs. Nielson's voice called, "Hi, honey! I hope you're home. Remember your father and I are going to see that play at U of A tonight -- let's hope it's better than the last one -- so we won't be home until around midnight. You can call some of your friends to come over if you want so you're not alone, but remember that it's a school night. Bed by ten. Love you, sweets."

"So," Ryan said, "looks like you're not grounded anymore."

"Yeah," Kelsi said slowly, avoiding his gaze.

"You should call the girls. I'm sure they'd love to come over and --"

"Ryan," Kelsi said, sitting up, "we still have a _lot_ of work to do. Ms. D is not gonna be happy if we come to school tomorrow with nothing done."

Ryan smiled and whipped out his cell phone. "Pizza's on me?"

"Sounds good."

#

"Knock, knock," Derby said brightly, stepping into her daughter's doorway.

"Mom!" Sharpay said, sitting up in bed and sliding her laptop to the side.

Derby smiled and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "How's it going, love?"

"Fine," Sharpay said with a shrug.

Derby gave her an incredulous look. "I know you, Shar, I know when you're acting. Something's up."

"It's nothing."

Derby's smile returned. "I know it's something." She cocked her head to the side. "Does this have anything to do with Zeke?"

Sharpay's eyes widened and she gaped at Derby. "No! And how do you even know his name?"

"I'm not blind, you know. Did you think I wouldn't notice that all of your desserts had frosting hearts or hearts made of powdered sugar or syrup hearts --"

Sharpay shoved her lightly. "The staff just knows I like girly things."

"Love isn't a girly thing. So how is Zeke?"

"I don't know," Sharpay said, falling back on her pillows.

Derby patted her daughter's knee, knowing Sharpay's moods well enough to tell that the conversation was ending. "Well, just remember," she said, standing, "you can always come to me. I'm more than happy to discuss school or musicals or wardrobes or boys --"

Sharpay tossed a pillow at her for the last one.

"I'm always here for you," Derby said, catching the pillow. She replaced it on the bed and bent down to kiss Sharpay's forehead. "You are my favorite daughter, after all," she whispered and glided to the door. When she was only a few feet away she paused. "Oh! Do you know where your is? His phone keeps going straight to voice mail and it's almost curfew."

"I'm sure he'll be home in time."

"All right. Night, honey," Derby said with a smile and closed the door.

Sharpay sighed and looked to her laptop. She would have to wait until morning. Now she had a brother to find. She snapped her fingers over her head and dissolved into a flurry of pink sparks.

#

"You're falling asleep," Ryan said.

"Am not," Kelsi muttered.

Ryan fought the urge to chuckle. They were working at the piano and Kelsi had taken to leaning on his shoulder. At first he'd been surprised and more than happy to let her continue, but her breathing was slowing and he didn't need his powers to figure out that she was exhausted.

"Long weekend?" he asked.

She hummed her affirmation, nestling closer. After a moment's hesitation he carefully dislodged his arm from under her and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"You were busy," he said.

She nodded.

"With Toby."

"And my cousins."

"The ones in California?" he asked slowly, remembering the look on her face when he'd asked earlier.

"Mm-hmm, Briarwood."

He stiffened but she didn't seem to notice. "Briarwood?" he whispered. He had the sudden urge to run far, far away, but at the same time he wanted to hold Kelsi tightly and never let go. What were the odds of his best friend being related to people in that city? And they had to be rangers. It explained how she could have gone from Albuquerque to there and back in a single weekend. He wanted to scream. It wasn't fair! Why could Gabriella have friendship and he couldn't? The answer came before he'd even finished the question. He was a child of evil and betrayal, the universe was probably just looking for ways to screw him over.

A faint scraping sound behind him drew him from his thoughts. His hand on the now sleeping Kelsi's shoulder tightened protectively and he half-turned.

"Aw, you two are so sweet," Sharpay cooed, smiling at him from the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"It's almost curfew. You're going to be late."

Ryan sighed and looked around. Sheet music was everywhere and the coffee table was littered with the remnants of their pizza.

"I should clean up," he said but didn't move. He looked at Sharpay warily. "How long have you been here?"

She frowned at him. "What, do you think I was spying on the two of you? I have better things to do, you know. Now hurry up. I'd rather not get in trouble."

Satisfied, Ryan carefully lifted Kelsi up, one hand behind her shoulders and one under her knees. He walked her to the couch and, with a flick of his hand, sent the papers into a pile on the coffee table. He set her down carefully and began cleaning up the clutter while Sharpay amused herself by looking at the photographs around the room.

"Are you done yet?" Sharpay asked.

"One second," Ryan said and quickly scrawled a note on the top of Kelsi's music folder. "Ready. Let's go."

Sharpay nodded and they both disappeared.

#

Chad was sitting on Taylor's front step when she came home that night.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, fighting to hide her smile.

"Your house is closer to the Evans' than mine is," he said with a shrug.

"By what? Three blocks? You could have been home hours ago." She sat on the step beside him and nodded to the flickering street lights. "Now you'll have to walk in the dark."

"I wanted to know what happened last night."

"Aw, you're such a good boyfriend," she teased.

"I'm serious, Tay," he said, scooting away from her so he could look her in the eye. "It's not like you to ignore a text. What happened?"

"Boi found me and Sharpay insisted I stay the night."

Chad raised an eyebrow.

"That's what happened! We spent the night watching movies and talking about the new musical."

"I can buy that you spent the night talking about a musical you don't care about, but I cannot believe that Sharpay 'insisted' you spend one more second in her presence than was strictly necessary."

Taylor stood in a huff. "Fine, believe whatever you want. I'm going inside."

Chad grabbed her wrist but she refused to look down at him, keeping her gaze fixed on the porch light.

"Something is wrong, Taylor. I can feel it. And if that wasn't enough you accused Ryan of hurting Kelsi this morning."

"I didn't --"

"If you don't tell me what's up I'll go to her. And if she doesn't tell, I'll be giving Evans a black eye on Monday. So unless you want to listen to your new best friend complain about how I ruined the autumn musical, you're gonna tell me."

Taylor sighed and met his eyes. "You can be really annoyingly smart when you want to be, you know that?"

"It's why you love me," he said with a smirk.

She sat down beside him and sighed. "You're never going to believe this."

"Try me."

"Okay, you know how we always say that Sharpay is some sort of monster?"

* * *

_As always, reviews feed my bunnies. And fed bunnies make chapters come faster. _


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Sorry, guys. This chapter really threw me for a loop. I kept writing and rewriting and halfway through I realized that this was the first time I've mentioned hats or quoted the soundtrack, that's like a ryelsi crime. Also, if you're hoping this chapter will cheer you up, don't. While I would love to post something happy and joyous today (or at least something that references Charlie's Angels or quotes one of Michael's songs), this is all I've got.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 9**

Kelsi smiled when she saw who was coming up front steps of the school.

"Hey," she said.

"Hi," Ryan said shortly.

Kelsi faltered at his tone but decided to keep things upbeat. "I'm sorry about last night. I guess I was really tired."

"It's okay," he said, waiting for her to stand before walking into school. "You needed your sleep."

"Yeah, auditions are this afternoon. Are you ready?"

She wasn't sure if she saw him wince or smile and decided to pretend it was the latter. "Always. You?"

"What do I have to be ready for? I'm already the resident playmaker."

Ryan rolled his eyes at the basketball team's nickname for her. "But you have to audition the orchestra."

"That's not until the end of the week."

This time she was sure he smiled, if only a little. "You could at least pretend to be freaked out. That way we could bond over the -- whoa!"

Kelsi watched dumbly as Chad marched past, grabbing Ryan as he did so. "Where are you going?" Kelsi called down the hall after them.

"Away!" Chad bellowed back.

Kelsi huffed -- what was it with people stealing Ryan away while she tried to talk to him? -- and hurried around the corner to Taylor's locker. She would know what was up.

#

Ryan didn't bother trying to fight Chad. He could have easily broken away, but he also knew Chad well enough to know that this was important. He was dragged all the way through the school, out the back of the gym and into one of the tennis courts. There Chad let him go and picked two baseball gloves and a ball off the ground.

"I didn't think you'd let me drag you all the way to the baseball fields," Chad explained, tossing a mitt to him.

Ryan caught it easily and nodded. The baseball fields were out past the football field. His curiosity was sure to get the best of him by the time they got that far.

"So what's this all about?" Ryan asked. "I already told you I don't have time to join the baseball team."

Chad tossed him the ball. "I needed to talk to you without attacking you and I figured tossing the ball would be a good outlet."

"Why would you attack me?" Ryan asked carefully, tossing the ball back gently.

Chad grinned as he caught the ball and threw it back hard. "Taylor told me you're a demon."

Ryan caught the ball, but froze with his arm outstretched. Slowly, he stood straight and asked, "What?"

Chad smirked. "Throw the ball," he ordered and Ryan did as he was told. "I wouldn't believe it if it was anyone else," he said wryly, winding up, "but Taylor isn't the kind of person who makes up crazy stories. She gave me a three hour lecture on the evils of April Fools Day for Heaven's sakes."

Ryan caught the ball with a frown. "You think I'm a demon?" He returned the ball and pulled off his fedora, bowing his head so Chad could see the top. "Did you think I was hiding horns under the hats? And how would I dance with cloven hooves?"

Chad let out a dry laugh. "Are you?"

Ryan sagged. "Technically? No, but I'm not human either. What do you plan to do about it?"

Chad ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not really sure. Taylor was pretty vague on the specifics, which was part of why I believed her. Taylor's lies are always way too thorough."

Ryan smiled at that but it faded when he saw Chad's expression.

"What I really want to know," Chad said, tossing the ball from hand to hand, "is what's up with Gabriella? Taylor wouldn't tell me that."

Ryan rolled his eyes. That proved who Taylor's loyalties were to, not that he was surprised. "It's not my place," he said.

"Like hell it's not!" Chad thundered. "If my friends are in danger I want to know about it!"

"Gabriella's not in any danger. She's hurt, but she'll survive."

"What about Troy?"

Ryan tensed. "She would never hurt him," he said, but even as he said it he wasn't sure. A werewolf's mind, while connected to the human's, was different. What her opinion of Troy was after the transformation, none of them could know.

Chad's frown deepened. "I would ask why she would hurt anyone, but I don't think you'll answer."

Ryan kept his expression carefully blank until Chad threw the ball to him once more.

"So, about Small Person …"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Why is everyone worried about me hurting Kelsi?"

Chad smiled as he caught the ball. "Dude, you're totally in love with her."

"First Gabriella, now you. Where does everyone get this idea? I am not in love with Kelsi!"

"Oh, fine, you're right. You just help her with her music and hang out with her all the time because you're friends."

"Yes! And because we're in Drama Club together. If we don't work as a team the performances will suck."

"And how much of this teamwork is Sharpay a part of? I mean, she is the president, isn't she?"

Ryan froze and the ball flew past him. "Sharpay's … difficult. It's easier if it's just us."

Chad paused on his way to get the runaway ball and clasped Ryan's shoulder. "Listen, all I'm saying is, on behalf of the entire East High basketball team, as long as you're not going to suck out Small Person's soul or turn her into your undead bride, we're cool." He ignored the look of revulsion and shock on Ryan's face and added, "But if you make her cry, we'll exorcise your ass. Clear?"

"Crystal."

#

Kelsi waited patiently at the piano as Ms. Darbus extolled the virtues of Drama Club. It had been an unsatisfying day and she sincerely hoped that auditions would be better. Taylor had brushed her off that morning and Chad had avoided her every time they saw each other. Worst of all was Ryan, he'd avoided even looking at her for most of the day and had used Sharpay like a shield ... until now. As Ms. Darbus finished her speech Kelsi glanced at Sharpay, alone in the front row.

"Evans, Ryan!" Ms. Darbus called.

Kelsi immediately swung around on the piano bench to face Sharpay. "What?" Kelsi demanded. "Aren't the two of you auditioning together?"

Sharpay shrugged. "He wanted to go solo this time."

Kelsi balked and opened her mouth to ask, "And you let him?" but was stopped when Ryan took the stage. He had appeared out of nowhere and Kelsi could only take his music silently before he stepped into center stage and waited patiently for her to begin.

Kelsi pushed down her anger and started playing, carefully watching Ryan out of the corner of her eye as she did. He glanced at her as he sang the first few lines and quickly stepped to the front of the stage, effectively putting her out of his line of sight. Kelsi smiled despite herself, it was nice to hear Ryan without Sharpay. His voice was strong enough to carry a song on his own and when he was by himself he always added something special to the --

Kelsi winced, almost losing her place when Ryan's high note came out as something closer to a screech. Sharpay almost fell out of her seat and Ms. Darbus's papers went flying. Kelsi continued playing, watching the back of Ryan's head as she did. He didn't seem concerned about the mistake, didn't even seem to have noticed. She glanced ahead in the song and saw that there was another high note coming. She wished she could lend him some of her strength and silently prayed that this time would be better than last.

It was worse. Ms. Darbus immediately stood.

"Thank you, Mr. Evans!" she practically yelled. "Your monologue please."

Ryan nodded as if he hadn't just been cut off mid-song. "Segismund from _Life is a Dream_."

Sharpay smiled and nodded, apparently in approval of his choice. Kelsi didn't recognize the play but knew immediately that Ryan was doing it wrong. The words of the monologue were dramatic and full of power, but Ryan said them as if they were meant to be comical. Kelsi could see Ms. Darbus was not amused but she allowed Ryan to finish.

The second he was done Sharpay mounted the stage and dragged him into the wings behind Kelsi.

"What was that?" she demanded.

"My audition," Ryan said with a shrug.

"Evans, Sharpay!" Ms. Darbus called.

Sharpay threw Ryan one last angry glare before stomping onto the stage. She gave Kelsi a nod and, in the blink of an eye, dropped her ire completely. Kelsi hit the play button on the CD player she'd kept on hand at every audition since Twinkle Town. That done, Kelsi spun around on the piano bench and hurried after Ryan, who was stalking out of the theater. She caught up to him just outside the auto shop building, which was uncharacteristically quiet this late in the day.

"What the hell?" she demanded, running in front of him.

He stopped mid-step and for a moment he looked almost afraid of her. Kelsi shook her head.

"I didn't mean that," she said, trying to process her thoughts. "No, actually, I did. What the hell, Evans? You just blew an audition!"

"Everyone has off days," he interrupted.

"No, this wasn't an off day. This was you taking a dive! What, did Seth beg you to blow it so he would have a chance at Faust? Because, as horrifying as that sounds, it's the only thing I can think of to explain what I just saw in there. You purposefully blew that audition. You butchered a great monologue, you made a beautiful song sound like a barnyard, and you made me want to stop playing!"

He winced at that last one but didn't back down one bit. "I'm sorry you think there's something going on here, but there's not. I just didn't make it." With that, he turned and walked away.

Kelsi glared at his back until he disappeared around a corner. Once he was out of sight she hurried back to the theater before Sharpay finished, vowing to deal with Ryan later.

#

As the rest of the team made their way to the showers Troy threw his balled-up dirty socks at Chad.

"Hey!" Chad snapped, spinning around. "What was that for?"

"I heard about you stealing Ryan away from Kelsi this morning. What's up there?"

"Nothing. I just … needed to get a few things straight."

"You worried about Playmaker?"

Chad smiled. "Not really. I mean, she's been putting up with the Evans' weird longer than we have. It was nothing," he finished with a shrug.

"Nothing like you sneaking onto the Evans' front lawn first thing on a Sunday morning nothing? Or nothing like Jason asking why cheese is yellow nothing?" When Chad's eyes widened Troy added, "I'm not stupid, man, I see things. I know something's going on around here and it's not just one of Sharpay's little schemes."

Chad sighed and echoed Ryan's earlier words, "It's not my secret to tell."

"So whose is it?"

Chad turned away.

"Come on," Troy said. "If something's really wrong you should tell me. We can work it out."

Chad shook his head. "You don't understand it's ... it's complicated."

"You used to tell me everything."

"That's not fair. What if Gabriella told you something she didn't want anyone to know?"

"Is that what this is? Is Taylor in some kind of trouble? Is that why she was at Sharpay's?"

"No! Taylor's fine, I just ..."

"Just can't tell your best friend what's been bugging you all day. I get it." Troy stood and started walking towards the doors.

"Troy!" Chad called, but he was gone.

#

Gabriella looked over the school parking lot, letting her gaze travel to the hills beyond the city. Troy was right to love the roof, it was always more peaceful than anyplace else on campus and allowed her the time she desperately needed to be alone and think.

"Hey."

She whirled, her heart racing fearfully despite the gentle tone. "Hey, Wildcat," she said, pleased to find that her voice was steady. He was standing on the small patio, wearing his uniform sans shoes and socks and looking like he'd come straight from practice.

"Come over here," he said, smiling at her and wiggling his toes on the bottom patio step. The ground on the roof was dark and would be uncomfortably hot on his feet on such a sunny day.

She clutched her hand at her side, the necklace had been cool when she'd first taken it off but was now warm against her skin. She shook her head. Thinking she was teasing, his smile widened and he carefully hurried across the roof towards her, taking leaps and landing on his toes until he reached her. Once there he shifted from foot to foot, almost laughing until he saw that she wouldn't meet his eyes.

Stilling instantly, he asked, "What's wrong?"

She looked up at him and held out her hand. Any hint of a smile on his face evaporated instantly.

"Wha- ?"

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, wishing he'd just take the necklace so she could be done.

He frowned at her. "No."

"Troy," she started.

"No!" He backed up a step, ignoring the pain in his feet. "Whatever's wrong we can fix it. I know we can. We just have to --"

"No, Troy," she said, forcing back her tears, "we can't. We can't fix this."

He reached for her and she ran, dropping the necklace as she went.

"Gabriella!" he called after her but she didn't stop, didn't even look back at him before descending into the school. Dumbly he picked up the necklace and looked out at the parking lot, hoping to catch sight of her there. Instead he saw Ryan and the boys' eyes met for a moment before Ryan turned away. Troy gripped the necklace tightly in his fist. He wanted answers and he knew just where to get them.


	10. Chapter 10

**Men and Monsters**

**Chapter 10**

"Kelsi!" Troy called, sprinting down the aisle towards the stage.

Ms. Darbus gave him a pointed glance as he passed and he gave her the best apologetic expression he could muster, which wasn't much. She swept up the aisle in his wake and out the doors, letting them slam closed behind her. Troy winced at the sound and only then noticed Kelsi's expression.

"What's up, Playmaker?" he asked.

She stared at the piano keys as if waiting for them to play themselves. "Ryan threw his audition."

"What?" Troy demanded. He turned to face the audience and fell back on the piano bench beside her, facing the opposite direction. "What is going on?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

He lifted his fist and -- with some deliberate effort -- unclenched it to reveal Gabriella's necklace. Kelsi gasped.

"I don't know why," he said. "I thought things were going well except for …"

"What?" Kelsi asked.

"Gabby's been spending so much time with Sharpay. I thought … I thought it was good, maybe she'd rub off on her. And now Ryan … Something _really _weird is going on if Ryan threw an audition."

Kelsi sighed and closed the piano. "How about," she said slowly, "I call Taylor and we can have an emergency girl intervention? I'm not promising anything but … it might help."

Troy nodded. There were good things about the girls getting together -- they'd help Gabriella think things through -- and bad things -- they might side with Gabriella in the whole matter and decide that Troy was a bad guy, even though Troy still wasn't sure what was going on. It was a risk he'd have to take, it wasn't like he could stop the girls anyway.

"I came here to talk to Ryan," he said. "I figured if anyone would know what was up with Sharpay and Gabby, he would. I'll track him down and ask him about the auditions."

Kelsi smiled, though it seemed hollow. "Thanks. A lot."

"No problem," he said and bumped lightly against her shoulder. "We can't have East High's resident Playmaker all depressed and mopey."

Kelsi stood and shouldered her bag. "Just so you know," she said, "if he doesn't have a good reason, I'll kill him."

"I'll be sure to tell him that when I find him."

#

"Master Mack!" Spencer's voice crackled over the house's comm system. "You have a phone call."

Mack leapt up from his bed, tossing his new adventure novel carelessly onto his desk in his race across the room. "Is it one of the guys?" he asked, practically slamming into the small wall unit. He hadn't heard from his fellow Rangers in a while. Sure, he heard about Rose's latest controversial theories, Dax's newest films, and Ronny's recent wins (Will's work was far too secretive to appear in the news), but he hadn't actually spoken to any of them in months.

"No," Spencer sighed. "It's Ryan Evans."

Mack blinked. He was supposed to know Ryan, but he all he really knew was that there was some pretty massive magic involved around the boy and his twin. And he was pretty sure in wasn't good magic either. But … as much as he didn't trust Ryan Evans, they needed to know what was going on and this might be their best opportunity.

"Would you like me to inform your father?" Spencer asked. Andrew Hartford had spent every waking moment, as well as most sleeping moments, in the lab beneath the mansion, working on his new Ranger project for the government.

"No," Mack said, "Dad's busy and we can always fill him in later. Put Ryan through."

There was a crackle over the line and a beep.

"Ryan?" Mack asked.

"Hi, Mack," Ryan said, "I'm sorry to call like this but … I wanted to ask you something."

Mack took a seat on the edge of his bed. "Shoot."

"When you were a … Ranger --" Mack didn't miss the way Ryan tripped over the word, "did you ever have to do anything that you would have sworn you'd never do, just to protect someone?"

Mack wasn't sure how to take this. Ryan sure sounded like a confused teenager, but that could be a front for some darker purpose. And even if it wasn't, that "anything" could be something evil. Unable to think of anything else to do, in true Red Ranger fashion he decided to take a gamble.

"First I have a question for you. Are you, by any chance, evil?" Mack winced, waiting for the answer. As the seconds ticked by he reached slowly for his old tracker on his desk, intent on taking a zord to Albuquerque if he had to. Before he could reach it a popping sound to his left startled him and a bright red tongue of flame licked up from the floor, almost reaching the ceiling. It formed into Ryan, who had his arms crossed and was looking more annoyed than evil.

"How does everyone know this?" he asked and marched across the room to fall dramatically into the desk chair. "What? Did someone put it on their blog or something?"

Mack looked at the brooding boy with wide eyes. He quickly grabbed the tracker and, when Ryan only stared at him, asked, "So … you _are_ evil?"

"Technically," Ryan said. He proceeded to tell Mack his life story, which was becoming such a common occurrence that he wondered if he should just write the whole thing out in easy to read pamphlets for next time.

"So," Mack said when he finished, "the Evans know?"

"They did," Ryan said. "We made a deal with them. They get the children they've always wanted, we get a normal existence. Part of normal means we had to erase their memories when we magically wrote ourselves into their lives."

"See, that explains why I know nothing about you."

"What?"

Mack laughed, his fear that Ryan was a threat to humanity forgotten. "I used to be an android," he said, almost proudly.

This time it was Ryan's turn to be shocked. "No. Way."

Mack nodded. "Dad built me, programmed me. I guess the spell you used to write yourselves into the Evans' lives didn't work on machinery."

"But … if you're …" Ryan paused, thinking things through. Finally all he could think to say was, "Wow."

"Our parents are so weird."

"No wonder they're friends."

Mack shrugged.

"Wait," Ryan said, "what do you mean you 'used to be an android'?"

"Our mission as Rangers was to protect the Corona --"

"Aurora!" Ryan cut in, his eyes going wide. "It made you human!"

"Like my own personal Blue Fairy, only not as cute."

"Cool."

The two smiled at each other, each happy to have finally found someone who could relate.

"So," Mack said, "what was your problem again?"

"Oh! Right. So, I'm evil -- born evil, raised evil, all that jazz. And it turns out that my best friend is related to Briarwood's Rangers."

"Ouch," Mack said, wincing. "It's not Xander, is it?"

"No, her cousins are girls."

"Vida and Madison … V'll kill you."

"I kind of figured. And it doesn't help that my friends at school keep finding out about me and Shar. Most of them think I'm going to hurt Kelsi. Though, they also think I'm secretly in love with her so …"

"Kelsi's your best friend, right?"

Ryan nodded, pulling off his hat and running a hand through his hair. "So, in order to keep my friends' fears from coming true and to keep me and Shar safe from the Rangers … I blew my audition for the Autumn Musical."

"You auditioned for a musical?" Mack asked incredulously.

"You read Captain Danger novels?" Ryan returned in kind, picking the book off the desk.

Mack snatched it from his hand. "Touché."

"And I'm the Vice President of the Drama Club. I used to be Co-President with Sharpay but … that was just too much work."

"Is it really that much harder to be a Co-President than a Vice President?"

"It is when Sharpay's angry that someone's as high as her on the totem pole."

Mack nodded. "Well, I can make your problem a little easier. I'll get the Rangers to keep away."

"You can do that? For me?"

"Did you expect me to morph and take you into custody or something?"

"Well, you have been holding that morpher pretty tightly."

Mack looked down at the tracker in his hand. "Tracker," he corrected absently. "And as for your friends," he added, "why are you even listening to them? You don't seem evil to me, regardless of your heritage, and if you know you're not going to hurt Kelsi, that's what matters."

Ryan leaned back in the chair. "Why are you trusting me?"

Mack shrugged. "I took a chance on a lizard once, now he's one of my best friends." He stood and clapped his hands together. "So, you want to stay for dinner? I'm sure Spencer's getting tired of eavesdropping by now and would love to make us something."

There was a thump and a curse from the vent in the wall.

"Right away, Master Mack!" Spencer called, his voice echoing in the ducts.

Ryan's eyebrows rose.

"Spencer used to be a spy," Mack explained. "It's impossible to say anything in this house without him hearing." He led the way to the door, saying, "He can cook just about anything you want too, just don't ask for toast. He's sworn he'll never make it ever again."

#

"What are you doing tonight?" Zeke asked. He was leaning on the locker beside Sharpay's, watching her gather the books she would need.

"Homework," she said shortly, dumping at least five more books into her bag.

"Here," he said, grabbing the textbooks up in his arms. He held them out patiently, waiting for her to give him more.

She looked up at him for a moment before sighing and pulling two old books from the back of her locker. She dropped them in her now light book bag and shouldered it.

"I can take those too," he said eagerly.

"No," she said, closing her locker and breezing past him, "that's okay. You're carrying enough as it is."

Zeke's eyes widened and he hurried after her. Part of him wondered if she was sick and part of him hoped that this was a sign of the good Sharpay he'd always known was hiding underneath her cool exterior.

"Sharpay!" Troy barked, his voice echoing down the empty hall and making both Sharpay and Zeke jump. Troy ran down the hall after them and they both waited.

"What is it?" Sharpay asked, examining her nails. "I'm very busy."

"Where's your brother? I need to talk to him."

"You and everyone else," Sharpay said angrily.

"This isn't about the auditions," Troy said, "it's about Gabriella."

"Is she okay?" Zeke asked.

Before Troy could answer Sharpay's phone rang out.

"If that's Ryan," Troy said as Sharpay dug in her purse, "I want to talk to him."

Sharpay rolled her eyes and flipped the phone open. "Hello?"

"Is it him?" Troy pressed.

Sharpay held up a hand to keep him away. "Already? You're sure? Of course, if you're correct and there aren't any _surprises_ your debt is repaid, but if there are --" As she listened she glanced up at the two boys, looking them over carefully as if searching for something. "You're sure that's all it is?" She smiled. "Good." She shut the phone and grabbed Zeke's wrist. "Come on!" she said eagerly, dragging him down the hall.

"Was that Ryan?" Troy asked, keeping pace with them.

"No," Sharpay said, hitting a few keys on her phone as she walked. "And I don't know where he is. Whatever your problems with Gabriella, you'll have to deal with them on your own." She burst through the school's front doors, leaving Troy behind.

"What's going on?" Zeke asked. He was having a hard time keeping up with her and balancing the books while she held his arm.

She ignored him and made a beeline for her car, not hard since it was one of the few remaining on the lot. "Ryan," she said into the phone as they approached her car, "when you get this message you come to me _right away_. I don't care if you're begging Ms. D to give you a second chance, this is more important." She paused, having reached the pink convertible, and smiled up at Zeke. "I found her."

"Found who?" Zeke asked when Sharpay shut the phone.

She threw her purse into the back and motioned for Zeke to do the same with the books. "I'll tell you on the way," she said, climbing into the driver's seat.

"On the way?" Zeke asked. "I thought you had homework."

She looked up at him, still smiling and he felt himself go weak at the knees. It wasn't often Sharpay Evans really, truly smiled, but when she did it was well worth the wait.

"I'm going to have an adventure, Zeke," she said. "And I need a shining knight to help me. Will you?"

He wanted to tell her that she never had to ask, that he was always there for her, no matter what. But he was having trouble remembering to breathe regularly so he just hurried around the side of the car and slid in, Dukes of Hazard style.

"Ready?" she asked, gripping the wheel.

He nodded and it occurred to him suddenly that she'd forgotten her keys in her purse.

"Good," she said. "And try not to faint."

The pink convertible disappeared from the lot in a flurry of pink sparks.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	11. Chapter 11

AN: I am a terrible, horrible person. I am so sorry to everyone reading this story. I can't believe this chapter took so long.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 11**

Wind whipped through the trees, making boughs shudder and sending flurries of leaves to the forest floor. It was an unseasonably cloudy day and this area was far from the usual hiking trails. As a result no one was there to see when the bright pink convertible appeared between the trees.

Zeke sat very still, trying to make sense of his surroundings. Two seconds ago he'd been in the sunny East High parking lot, now he was surrounded by trees. After blinking roughly one hundred times he slowly turned to face Sharpay, who was checking her appearance in the rear view mirror.

"You're not going to pass out, are you?" she asked, fluffing her hair. "I kind of need you conscious -- I think."

"Where are we?" he asked breathlessly.

She glanced at him then at the trees towering around them. "California," she said with a slight shrug. Content with her hair she glanced over her side of the car. "Can you open your door?" she asked.

Zeke turned to look and saw that the trees were too close around them for the doors to open. It was a miracle the car was able to fit there at all.

"How did we get here?" he asked.

Sharpay hopped up on the back of her seat and threw her legs over the door, sliding to the forest floor. "I brought us," she said. "I need to get something."

"How did you bring us here?" Zeke asked, forcing calm as he followed her example and climbed out.

"Magic," she said as if it should be obvious. She stepped into the trees and Zeke rushed to follow.

"What do you mean magic?" he asked, pushing aside low hanging branches.

"I'm not sure how else to explain it. It's magic, that's all there is to it."

He lunged forward and grabbed her elbow, spinning her around to face him. "What is going on?" he asked.

Her eyes went wide and for a split second Zeke got to see a side of Sharpay that even Ryan didn't get to see: fear.

"I'm from a place called the Underworld," she said tightly. "I have magical powers, Ryan has magical powers, my parents had magical powers -- my real parents, not the Evans. And there is something over there," she pointed through the trees with her free hand, "that I need. And I need you to help me get it."

Zeke sighed and let her go. "Why didn't you just say so?" He trudged past her in the direction she'd pointed. Of course he was going to help her. Magic or no magic, she was still Sharpay Evans.

A small voice in the back of his mind wondered if maybe she wasn't. Maybe all of her "good" behavior since Gabriella's arrival had been a sign that this wasn't the Sharpay he'd always known. He glanced back at her, hoping to look into her eyes and be somehow convinced that this was still her, only to see her stopped several yards back. Her stylish heel was caught in a tree root and she was trying to pull it out. Just as he decided he should go help her she straightened and pointed at the shoes. Sparks shot from her finger like some cheap CGI effect and wrapped around her feet and ankles. When the sparks dissipated she was wearing pink and white sneakers that somehow matched her outfit even better than the heels had. She looked up at him and he smiled, that was definitely his Sharpay. He waited for her to catch up and let her lead the way.

"Here it is," she said, throwing her arms wide when they reached a clearing.

"I don't see anything," Zeke said, looking at the circle of trees and leaf-strewn ground with a frown.

"Go in," she said, nodding and that voice was back, telling him he was being the biggest idiot in the history of the world. He shook it off and took a step forward only to end up sprawled on his stomach a moment later. He looked back over his shoulder to see that his foot had caught on the edge of something hidden beneath the leaves.

"What is it?" he asked, pushing leaves out of the way.

Sharpay waved a hand and the leaves went flying, revealing a wide circle of black obsidian tucked neatly into the forest floor. It stretched at least twenty feet wide and was dotted by strange carved symbols that made Zeke shudder just to look at them.

"Why do you need me?" he asked, climbing to his feet.

"Just go to the middle of the circle," Sharpay said quietly.

"Why can't you do it?"

"Now," she insisted.

"Why?"

"I can't! It has to be someone else, now please, just go!"

Zeke stumbled to the center of the circle, if only out of shock that Sharpay had just uttered the p-word. As his foot fell on the center-most symbol it lit up, as did all of the others. He had to close his eyes against the bright light and covered his ears when a scream erupted from the earth beneath him. The next thing he knew he was dangling in the air, his feet barely scraping the ground as a hand tightened around his throat. He looked down a pale arm into a woman's cold blue eyes. Her blonde hair whipped around her face in a wind that came from the ground beneath her feet. He was struck by the thought that she was beautiful before the hand tightened a fraction.

She stared up at him as if he were an interesting form of bug and opened her mouth to speak, only to be broadsided by a pink flash.

Zeke fell to the ground, clutching his throat as the woman turned, unharmed and unmoved, to face her attacker. Sparks still sizzled at her side but she ignored them.

"He's _mine_," Sharpay said and Zeke wondered how two words could fill his heart with joy and freeze his blood at the same time. "Mother," she added and the woman flinched.

The plucked a spark from Sharpay's quickly dissipating attack. She rubbed it between her fingers slowly.

"I must say," she said, glancing back at Zeke, "I am not impressed by your choice of companions. Though he may have other merits."

Zeke shook his head. Her voice a comforting lilt, giving the impression that she was always singing.

"He does," Sharpay said tensely and Zeke could see by the tightness of her jaw that this wasn't going at all how she'd thought it would.

"Where is your brother?"

Zeke's eyes widened and from the way Sharpay stilled he realized she must be thinking the same thing he was. If Ryan was anywhere, he was probably with Kelsi.

#

Martha's phone buzzed and Kelsi reached for it, leaving her friend free to drive. The two had met up outside the school, left a message on Taylor's phone that they were picking up all the necessary supplies and would meet her at Gabriella's as soon as legally possible. They'd just zoomed out of the Wal-Mart parking lot at a speed that Kelsi was sure would horrify even her cousins.

"Martha's phone," Kelsi said pleasantly, wincing as they rushed through an intersection just before the light turned red. "I'm sorry, could you say that again, Taylor? It sounded like you said there wasn't going to be a war council."

"What?" Martha cried.

"Dog!" Kelsi yelled.

Martha swerved and, completely unconcerned for the poor mutt's safety, demanded, "How can there not be a war council? Troy and Gabriella broke up! We always have a war council when those two break up!"

"Watch the road!" Kelsi snapped. To Taylor she said, "What Martha said."

Taylor sighed. "Gabby's just not up to it."

"Um, isn't that kind of the point? And anyway, this isn't just for Gabby. Tell her I need this too."

"What?" Martha and Taylor said at the same time.

"Ryan threw his audition this afternoon. I could use some cheering up myself."

Kelsi could hear Taylor and Gabriella talking in hushed tones as she waited not-so-patiently for Taylor's response. When their discussion escalated into an argument that Kelsi couldn't quite make out her own phone went off. She sighed and picked it up. Seeing it was Vida's number she winced. She had never thought she'd see the day when she'd be holding a phone to each ear.

"What's up, V?" she asked.

"Wow, what crawled up your shorts?" Vida asked.

"I'm having a really bad day, okay? So what's the problem?"

"I'm just calling to tell you we may not be available for a few days. There's been some kind of magical disturbance up north and apparently we're the only really magical rangers around so we have to deal with it."

"Okay," Kelsi said, "try not to die. I'm really not looking forward to sorting through that chaos you call a CD collection."

"Hey! I have a system!"

"Whatever you say. Give Maddie my love."

"Will do."

"What's going on?" Martha asked when Kelsi tossed her phone on the dashboard.

"My cousins are going on some crazy trip, they just wanted to tell me they'd be out of touch for a while."

Kelsi winced at the half-truth and focused back on Taylor and Gabby. She tried not to worry about Vida and Madison. After all, the last time a ranger died was in the nineties. It was last decade, last century. Nothing to worry about. Right.

"Okay," Taylor said, shocking her out of her depressing train of thought, "Gabby says come on over, but her mom says no staying the night."

"Sounds good," Kelsi said. "We'll be there in ten." She snapped the phone shut and smiled at Martha. "We're on."

"Thank goodness. And I don't appreciate lying."

"What?" Kelsi asked, her eyes going wide.

"We'll be there in five," Martha said with a wicked grin, and sped around a young businessman in a hotrod.

#

Ryan bit his lip and Mack's shoulders shook as Andrew Hartford entered the dining room.

"I do not appreciate that, Spencer," Andrew said, pulling off his soaking wet shirt and taking the towel Spencer held out. "You could have seriously damaged the Red morpher."

Spencer stopped just short of rolling his eyes. "With all due respect, sir, you were late for dinner _and_ the fire suppression system in the lab includes a force field that simultaneously protects all electronics from water damage and contains any electrical fires. I know, I designed it myself."

Andrew narrowed his eyes and threw his towel at Spencer, but plopped down in his seat. Neither boy missed the smirk that graced Andrew's face as the water soaking his pants seeped into the seat cushion.

"Ryan," Andrew said suddenly, "did I know you were coming over?"

"No, sir," Ryan said, ducking his head.

Andrew took a sip of water and looked questioningly at his son.

"Ryan's a demon-spawn," Mack said pleasantly and burst out laughing when Andrew covered his nose, trying to keep water from flying out of it.

"What?" Andrew demanded, leaping up.

"It's quite all right, sir," Spencer said, walking into the room with a fresh shirt and a tray of salads. "Young master Evans explained everything. He's perfectly harmless. Well, as harmless as any non-evil child of darkness can be, sir."

"Right," Andrew said slowly, settling back into his seat and absently buttoning his new shirt while Spencer doled out the plates. "Why should I believe this?" Andrew asked Ryan.

"I do," Mack said with a shrug.

Andrew kept his eyes on Ryan. "And how do I know you haven't hypnotized them while I've been in the lab?"

Ryan shrugged uncomfortably. "If I was going to do any -- mischief here, I'd probably want to stop you from building the new series Red morpher. And if I was going to do that … I'd have done it by now."

Andrew nodded. "I suppose so. Someone pass the rolls."

Ryan exchanged a smile with Mack and handed the basket of rolls to Andrew.

"So," Mack asked, "how is the project going? Spencer says you haven't been electrocuted yet today, that must be a good sign."

Andrew chuckled and filled them in on the morphin grid's temperamental nature.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	12. Chapter 12

AN: You're probably all wondering why you're getting a new chapter a scant five days after the last one. Well, Catt made an _**amazing**_ new video for the story and after watching it at least a dozen times I was inspired to write this. (Okay, technically I was inspired after watching it the first time, but it's so awesome that I couldn't help but watch it over and over and over ....) You can find the link to the video in my profile.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 12**

Ryan materialized in the foyer, smiling at his good luck. With Andrew and Mack on his side he didn't have to worry about Kelsi's cousins. And Mack was right, if he trusted himself around Kelsi it didn't matter what the others thought. He hadn't done anything especially evil since coming to Albuquerque -- helping in Sharpay's schemes for stardom didn't count -- and he couldn't quite imagine himself taking sides in the battle between good and evil. Anyway, the Master was dead, there was little chance of him being asked to join the fight anytime soon.

He took the stairs two at a time, hurrying to apologize to his mother for missing dinner. He would have to be at school early tomorrow if he wanted to make amends with Ms. Darbus too. She would forgive him -- probably. At the very least she'd still let him work on the show, even if he wasn't in it. That might actually be better, come to think of it. If he didn't have to perform he'd be able to spend more time behind-the-scenes with Kelsi. He'd be able to make up for being such a flake lately.

A peal of laughter echoed down the hall and Ryan frowned. That didn't sound like his mom or Sharpay. Could one of the Wildcats be staying over again? But none of them sounded so … musical. He hurried past his own bedroom door and listened for a moment outside Sharpay's. The muffled voices stopped abruptly and a voice he'd never heard called, "You may as well come in, boy. I know you're there." The door fell open and Ryan froze. Sharpay was sitting on her bed and beside her was …

"Mother," Ryan breathed. He would never be able to say just how he knew who she was, he only knew that she couldn't be anyone else.

"Ryan," she said and he felt his heart expand. He knew now where he and Sharpay had gotten their talent for music, her every word sounded like a song. She was wearing a full-length black dress that reminded him of the fashions Leelee had always preferred, though he noted that half of her blonde locks were held back with a pink clip that was too old-fashioned to be Sharpay's. In her lap was Boi, enjoying a thorough scratching, but she held out her free hand to him, beckoning him to join them. He stepped eagerly into the room, vaguely noting his sister's shining face out of the corner of his eye. He'd never seen Sharpay so happy. When she'd told him she was looking for their mother he'd never actually thought that she would find her so quickly.

"Wait," he said, pausing halfway across the room. Sharpay's smile fell and her eyes narrowed, but his mother's expression shifted only slightly to one of polite confusion. "How are you here? I thought you would be sealed away." He looked to Sharpay, catching the small cracks in her façade that told him she was hiding something.

"I got a call this afternoon from one of my contacts telling me where she was. I called you but you didn't pick up, so I went on my own."

Their mother turned her questioning gaze to Sharpay then, but Ryan didn't notice, he was too busy checking his phone. Sure enough, there was the reminder that he'd missed a call and received a voice mail, as well as a text from Troy. That was sure to be fun.

"It must have rung while I was teleporting," he muttered.

"Where were you teleporting to, exactly?" Sharpay asked sweetly.

"Blue Bay Harbor," he lied quickly. "I needed to clear my head and you know those ninjas couldn't sense a demon if it landed on their doorstep."

"Why did you need to clear your head?" his mother asked.

"I -- I threw the audition for the school musical this afternoon."

"Whatever for?" she asked, her voice rising slightly with concern.

Ryan bit back a smile. He'd worried that their mother would be heartless and cruel, like the monster she served, but she seemed to truly care. "I was being stupid," he said, "letting other people tell me I was something I'm not."

"Please tell me that means you'll beg Darbus to give you a second try," Sharpay said. "I don't think I could stand to have Seth playing the lead."

Ryan shifted awkwardly, staring at the space between him and his mother. "What -- what's your name?" he asked.

She smiled. "Alvinia. It's very nice to meet you, Ryan."

Sharpay was motioning to him in a way that clearly said she wanted him to hug their mother, but Ryan couldn't quite do it yet. "I have to go tell Mo- Mrs. Evans something." He rushed out of the room, leaving the two women to stare after him.

"He's just nervous," Sharpay said, reaching over to pat Boi fondly.

"He has every right to be," Alvinia said, shifting on the bed so that she could face Sharpay more easily. "What about you? Why didn't you want your brother to know about the boy?"

Sharpay shrugged, not meeting Alvinia's eyes. "What Ryan doesn't know won't hurt him. And anyway, he wouldn't approve."

"Of the boy or of involving him?"

"Ryan likes Zeke," Sharpay said with a small smile, "thinks he's good for me, if not my waistline. But he wouldn't like me bringing Zeke, even if I did need him to break the seal." She shrugged. "He'd get over it but --"

"You don't want him to be angry with you when I've just arrived."

"Exactly," Sharpay said, bouncing slightly on the bed. Her mother understood and she savored that thought. _Her mother_ understood.

#

Ryan ran his hands through his hair, heedless of his fedora falling to the floor. He leaned against the wall, trying to breathe steadily. To his left, at the end of the hall, was Mrs. Evans, the woman who had taken them in knowing they were spawns of evil, the woman who loved him like a son because that was all she knew him as. And down the hall to his right was his mother, his real mother.

What was he supposed to say to Mrs. Evans now? _"Sorry I missed dinner. Oh, and did you know my real mother's in Sharpay's room right now? Just thought you should know."_

He shook his head. This was insane. Not that he wasn't happy to have Alvinia here but …

His phone rang, saving him from finishing the thought. He pulled his cell from his pocket and let out a half-sigh when he saw the name.

"What's up, Chad?" he asked, kicking at the carpet beneath his feet.

"You blew an audition?" Chad demanded.

Ryan winced. "I'll deal with it, okay?"

"Good, because we both know Ms. D's gonna give me detention for something and I do not want to spend my afternoons listening to Seth's lame monologue-ing."

Ryan chuckled.

"What's so funny?"

"That's basically what Sharpay said when I told her I'd talk to Ms. D."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment before Chad growled, "You never mention this to anyone ever again, got it, Evans?"

"Got it, Danforth. Was there anything else? I've kind of got a whole new crisis that needs dealing with right now."

"Gabriella broke up with Troy."

Ryan turned slowly and let his head fall forward against the wall with a thump. He could guess why she'd done it and what Chad's request was going to be. At this rate all of East High would know what they were by Halloween, which was actually kind of fitting.

"I'll see if I can get Shar to talk to her."

"She's not gonna change her mind," Chad said. "I've already talked to Taylor and she says there is zero chance of Gabby going back on this decision. Unless …" He let it hang.

Ryan sighed. Troy would have to be told. He would have to know what Gabriella had become and then make the decision of whether or not she was still worth fighting for. Gabriella's self-sacrificing streak was too thick for her to even think of putting Troy through this herself.

"I'll think about it," Ryan said. "That's all I can promise right now."

"Okay, I just wanted to let you know. Oh, and Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"Taylor says Kelsi's royally pissed about this audition thing. You should probably fix that before news leaks to the rest of the team. Or before Troy finds his phone. Apparently he told Small Person that he'd talk to you."

"Great. I'll call Kelsi soon, I promise."

"Good. See you tomorrow, man."

Ryan hung up and stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, wondering if he should get it over with and call her now or wait a while, hopefully until after the girls had dispersed. Of course, waiting meant he'd have to fill up that time talking to one of his mothers.

"Who's Kelsi?"

Ryan jumped and whirled. "Alv-- Mother," he gasped.

She smiled. "It's all right, I know it must be hard for you to think of me that way. So who is this Kelsi?"

"A friend."

"_Just _a friend?"

"_Yes_," Ryan said, putting all the emphasis into the one word that he could.

Alvinia's smile widened and her eyes sparkled. "I see."

"What are you doing out here?"

She nodded past him and he turned to see the bathroom door a few paces down the hall. "Ah, sorry."

"Did you speak to … Mrs. Evans?"

"No, and I don't think I will. She's probably busy."

Alvinia nodded once and moved past him. He'd barely taken a step back towards Sharpay's room when she called softly, "Ryan?"

He turned to her and she reached up to gently touch his cheek. "You are more handsome than I had ever imagined."

He blushed and ducked his head, missing his fedora suddenly. She lifted his chin and leaned in. He turned his head obligingly, thinking that she, like Mrs. Evans, would want to kiss him on the cheek. Instead she whispered in his ear.

"Never be ashamed of what you are."

Her tone was cold as ice and made his breath catch in his throat. He remained frozen until the bathroom door had closed behind her.

#

The phone on the nightstand buzzed and Zeke glanced at it, lifting it just high enough to see the name. Sharpay. He hadn't expected to hear from her so soon. He let the phone fall back beside his dark lamp and joined his hand with its twin beneath his head. The ceiling of his room, while not the most interesting of things in the world, was comforting. In the ten years his family had lived in this house it had remained unchanged. Unlike his entire worldview, which was quickly being adjusted to accommodate this new information.

Sharpay was a demon from the depths of the Underworld. She was not an Evans. She was, in fact, the daughter of that ice bitch who had held Zeke up by his throat.

He gulped, remembering that moment. He hadn't had time to think about death, which was probably the only thing that stopped him from having an all-out freak out right there in the woods. But now that he was alone he knew. If Sharpay hadn't saved him, that woman would have killed him, no doubt about it.

Sharpay had been cavalier about the whole thing, telling him it was all just a misunderstanding, he'd be cranky too if he'd been locked beneath the earth for over two decades. And then she'd sent him home, promising more of an explanation later and giving him her best puppy dog look when she said she just wanted time alone with her mother. Her mother who had been staring at him over Sharpay's shoulder, her eyes cold and calculating like he was a pawn on a chess board. He'd wanted to take Sharpay with him, tell her they needed to get away from whoever that woman was.

But Sharpay had told him who she was. Her mother. And if Sharpay's mother was that evil, what did that say about Sharpay?

He shook his head. This was the same old dilemma, the same one he'd been having for years. Just because Sharpay acted like a spoiled princess didn't mean she was one. He knew that. He'd seen her grow, been with her in private moments when she let her cold veneer fall away. She was a good person underneath it all. That didn't change just because her mother was evil.

The phone buzzed again. He reached for it. Sharpay. He stared at it. What if she was in trouble? What if her mother had done something horrible? The buzzing stopped mid-ring. He sat up, gripping the phone so hard he worried it might crack and debating what to do. It buzzed again. A text this time.

"Sorry."

He stared at the single word for several breaths. When it blurred, the light refracted through a drop of water on the screen, it took him a moment to realize why.

* * *

_reviews = love_


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Wow! I am **terrible!** My only excuse for how late this is, is that Alvinia is so evil that her evil reaches through the screen and makes it difficult to write her character. Yeah, I'm gonna go with that. Enjoy.

**Men and Monsters  
**

**Chapter 13**

Kelsi tossed and turned in bed. Her brain wouldn't slow down enough for her to get any rest. Between Ryan throwing the audition and Gabriella dumping Troy, the next few days at East High were going to be torture.

Gabby wasn't anywhere near reconciling with Troy and she hadn't even been able to say why they'd broken up. At first, her reluctance had made Kelsi wonder if this was bigger than the usual Troy and Gabriella drama.

"You should tell him," Taylor had said, hugging Gabriella, "let it be his choice."

"No!" Gabby cried, pulling away. "I can't!" She shook her head violently, hugging herself. "He'd insist on staying with me, dealing with this together. It's just who he is."

"Or," Taylor said slowly after giving Gabby a moment to calm down, "are you afraid that he'll be totally selfish for once? That he'll leave you because of this?"

Gabby gave Taylor a look that clearly said she thought her friend had gone crazy.

"Because, if it was me," Taylor continued, "I'm not sure which would scare me more."

Gabby had left to restock on snacks a few minutes after that and Taylor had quickly assured Kelsi and Martha that it wasn't what they thought, but that it was Gabby's secret and they shouldn't pressure her.

On the way home Martha and Kelsi had brainstormed possible explanations and, barring some sort of strange science fiction explanation, they'd settled on Gabriella being sick.

Kelsi couldn't believe it. Frankly, she refused to. It seemed more likely that Gabriella had woken up one morning to find herself hating basketball with such passion that just seeing a jersey would make her throw up.

That was it, Kelsi thought hopefully. Her cousins were always telling her stories about how this or that monster had done something incredibly stupid, like draw mustaches on people with a magical pen, and they said that things like this happened to people in every single Ranger team's hometown. Granted, Albuquerque didn't have any Rangers, but there were sure to be some rogue monsters out there somewhere. Yeah, and Sharpay would probably come to school tomorrow in head to toe black.

She kicked the blanket off of her, trying to find a comfortable position. Just because Vida and Madison's lives were completely insane didn't mean that her life was. And if that meant accepting that Gabriella might be -- _might be_, she repeated forcefully -- sick, then she would just have to deal with that.

Which left her with the Ryan problem. When she'd gotten home her mom had berated her for not answering her phone. It turned out that it had run our of juice shortly after Vida's call and, among the many messages from her mom, she found one from Ryan.

"Listen," he'd said, "I know I was stupid this afternoon, and I promise I'll try to never let it happen again. I'm going to Darbus first thing in the morning and begging for a second chance. And if you want I'll come begging to you too, because you deserve it. I should have just told you what was going on and," he let out a harsh laugh, "I may have to, but for now I need you to understand that it's not just my problem, it's Sharpay's too. But I promise I'll try not to let it hurt my acting or my life or you ever again. Also, could you call off Troy, I'd rather not have my obituary read 'murdered by angsty basketball player.' Oh! And this is Ryan."

Kelsi couldn't help but smile at that and it had made her forget the Gabriella problem for a while. Then, of course, she'd started wondering about what Ryan and Sharpay's problem was.

How would this news affect the other Wildcats, especially considering Gabriella's unnamed problem?

Kelsi wrapped herself up in her blanked once more and turned to face the wall. If she didn't get to sleep soon, she was going to go crazy.

#

Alvinia walked the halls of the Evans' house. Sharpay had put her in a guest room for the night, assuring her that as long as she made the bed in the morning no one would ever know she was there. Not that she was worried. If anyone saw her she had more than enough power to deal with them.

The children were still trying to figure out what to do with her. There had been some discussion of taking the spell off the Evans, though that option had been quickly ruled out since undoing a spell of that magnitude would require altering the world once more. Alvinia had been taken aback by that. She had known the twins would be powerful, but hadn't thought they had enough training to tap into that power. She would have to take their unusual strength into consideration.

Though they had skirted around the subject of the Master, she had eventually been able to gather information regarding their father. Calindor had let his own hubris defeat him, not once but twice, and had ultimately fallen because of it. She could feel no pity for him, but knew the children expected different, so she carefully let them see just a hint of sadness when she heard the news. It was enough and they had quickly changed the subject.

Alvinia paused and glanced up at a patch of wall lit by moonlight. A portrait hung there, as if whoever decorated the hall had planned on the moon's location. A man, tall and proud, stood close behind a woman in a chair. His hands rested on her shoulders and she had reached up to hold one lovingly. She was beautiful. Not because of her long blonde hair or flawless features, but because her eyes were alight with a joy seen only in those who loved and were loved in return. Alvinia's hands fisted and she pressed back the emotions she was feeling. This woman was nothing, a puppet the twins had found to fulfill their childish fantasies of a family. She would be easily tossed aside and even more easily forgotten.

A bit of magic was all it took to find Ryan's room. Alvinia entered carefully, using a spell to silence the door's hinges just to be safe. She didn't bother turning on the light, choosing instead to use magic to see in the dark. A smile curved her lips when she saw Ryan, sprawled on his bed. His blankets were tangled and barely covering him, while his limbs were flung out at odd angles, almost like a rag doll fallen on the floor. She turned her attention to the rest of the room. The setup was the same as Sharpay's had been, even the furniture was in the same places as if it had come with the room. But where Sharpay had overwhelmed her cream colored walls with every shade of pink imaginable, Ryan was more sedated. There was no color scheme to be seen, though the curtains and bedspread were a matching red.

She had already looked through Sharpay's room earlier, finding nothing more interesting than a plastic container of brownies hidden under the bed. They still held a trace of that human boy's essence and she had put them back in place quickly. Everything else was exactly what would be expected of a teenage girl -- useless trinkets, school books, vacuous magazines, and more clothes than one human could conceivably wear. At first glance Ryan's room seemed much the same, though his room bore fewer trophies than his sister's and they were not given the same honorific treatment hers were. His shelves were filled with books on history, music, theater …. She pulled a yearbook from the shelf and began flipping through its pages.

She needed to know more about the children. What had they done since leaving the Underworld? What sort of lives were they living? And, most importantly, where did their loyalties lie?

Ryan shifted in his sleep, pulling the blankets up and muttering, "Kelsi."

A quick glance at the yearbook's index and Alvinia found several images of the girl. She was a small, mousy thing, most often seen with her face half-hidden by a hat. She played piano and worked with the twins in the Drama Club. Her friends ranged from basketball players to the academic team and, Alvinia noted, so did Ryan's. They were often in the same pictures, along with Sharpay and occasionally the boy who had freed her. But one of the two of them alone, studying across the table from one another in the library, was what caught Alvinia's attention.

She had that look, the same one the woman in the portrait did. The girl's was more subdued, not nearly as strong, not nearly as bright, but it was there all the same.

Alvinia glanced back at Ryan, to make sure he was sleeping soundly, and disappeared in a flash of light.

#

"So," Vida said, kicking a stray bit of stone, "this is bad."

The Mystic Rangers stood at the edge of a wide clearing, none of them willing to enter. Leanbow was keeping a fire burning above them, casting harsh light on the broken seal and warming them in the cold night. It looked like a road, the asphalt splintered by a broken water main beneath.

"Very bad, I'm afraid," Udonna said, walking slowly around the seal's edge.

"What could do this?" Madison asked, reaching out to touch a large chunk of stone that had been forced upward.

"Don't," Daggeron warned and Madison stilled instantly. "If this held who I think it did, she'll have put a curse on the remains, just for the twisted joy of it."

"But who did it hold?" Xander pressed.

Chip nodded, standing on his toes to get a better look at the whole thing. "I thought all the Master's servants were with him behind the Gate."

"Most of them were," Udonna said, "but …" She trailed off and glanced at Clare sadly. "Niella knew there was a possibility that we would not be able to defeat the Master. Our forces were small and evil seemed to grow ever stronger."

"She planned on sealing the Gate," Clare guessed quietly, her voice tight with emotion, "she knew it would come to that."

Udonna nodded. "She practiced the spell on one of the Master's most powerful servants. This must have been where they fought."

"You don't know?" Vida asked.

Udonna shook her head. "She left us and came back days later saying it was done. And now it seems Alvinia is free."

"Alvinia?" Madison echoed.

"She was incredibly powerful," Daggeron said. "She'd devoted lifetimes to the study of evil."

"What do you mean by 'evil'?" Chip asked.

Leanbow sighed. "They say she once skinned a man alive and then reattached the skin before torturing him."

"Before?" Xander asked. "So that part wasn't torture?"

"I was wrong," Vida said, "this is so beyond bad."

"Guys!" Nick called, running up. Xander and Chip stopped him before he could touch the seal.

"What is it, Nick?" Udonna asked.

"There are tire tracks back there."

Xander shrugged. "It could be from some kids messing around out here, riding bikes in the woods like idiots."

Nick shook his head. "They're car tracks and they didn't drive anywhere, there's no room. It's like someone set down a car in the middle of the trees and picked it back up again."

"Great," Chip muttered, "the Master's most evil servant has a car."

"Spread out," Leanbow said, "someone had to have released her and I doubt she cared enough about them to keep them around."

"Shouldn't we be looking for her?" Madison asked.

"Don't worry," he said darkly, "she'll find us."

#

Alvinia was sitting on the bed, flipping through a notebook of half-written songs when Kelsi came upstairs with a glass of warm milk. When the light flipped on they spent a frozen moment staring at one another before Kelsi remembered herself and opened her mouth to scream.

"Oh no," Alvinia said, lifting her hand as if pushing Kelsi's chin up. Obediently, Kelsi's mouth snapped shut. "We'll have none of that."

Kelsi gripped the glass of milk so hard she thought it might break. Beyond that she could blink and breathe and swallow, but any other movement was impossible and even that little was stunted. It felt exactly like Madison said turning to stone had, only Madison had been lucky enough to black out.

"Kelsi!" her father called sleepily from his room down the hall. "If you're going to stay up late composing, at least close your door!"

Alvinia lazily motioned towards the door and it closed. Kelsi closed her eyes, trying to fight back panic. She tried to work her mouth, to say something bold that might throw the woman off her game. It was what she thought Vida would do.

"You can talk," Alvinia sighed, "if you promise not to scream." She looked at her, not bothering to tilt her head up even an inch. Kelsi wasn't sure how to answer but after a moment the woman waved a hand and every muscle in her body relaxed at once. She stumbled and had to grab onto the desk by the door for support. The glass fell to the floor, the milk pouring out over the carpet. Kelsi took deep, gulping breaths now that her chest was free to expand to its limit. She wished, however fleetingly, that she was wearing something else instead of a faded spaghetti-strap shirt and sweatpants with the knees torn away. Or, at the very least, that she could be wearing shoes.

"They'll beat you," she bit out, hoping that whatever ancestor Vida had gotten her spunk from had spared a bit for her too. "Whatever you're planning, whatever edge you think you'll get by hurting this family, it won't help you."

Alvinia watched Kelsi carefully, waiting until she'd composed herself enough to stand on her own before asking, "Why not?"

"Because," Kelsi said as if it were obvious, "Good always triumphs over Evil. And the Power Rangers always beat the bad guys."

Alvinia's eyes glowed slightly and her nails dug into the notebook's plastic cover.

"My cousins will never let you win," Kelsi added quietly.

The light in her eyes faded and Alvinia smiled, looking at the notebook once more. "I can see why he likes you," she said conversationally as she fingered a page of music without lyrics, mentally reciting the tune.

"Who?" Kelsi asked.

"My son. Ryan," Alvinia added, not quite able to keep from looking up to see the girl's reaction.

Kelsi's knees went weak but she was too shocked to grab for the desk this time and could only lean back against the door, the frame digging into her back.

Alvinia set the notebook aside and crossed the room, avoiding the spilled milk carefully. She tucked a strand of Kelsi's hair behind her ear and met her shell-shocked gaze.

"I suppose I should have expected it," she sighed. "His father was good, if only barely, before we met. The star-crossed infatuation runs in the family. And at least you have the potential for power, unlike that boy Sharpay seems preoccupied with."

She took Kelsi's hand and led her gently to the bed.

"Now," she said, sitting down herself and smoothing out her skirt, "we have several hours yet before we have to go and I would appreciate it if you spent them telling me all about this charming family of yours and how they defeated my Master."

Kelsi's eyes snapped back into focus and she swallowed. "And where are _we_ going that _we_ can't go now?" Ah, she thought with some small bit of relief, there was Vida's spunk.

Alvinia laughed and it sounded so light and joyful that for a moment Kelsi forgot to be afraid. "My dear girl, only madmen visit the Queen of the Vampires in the dead of night and expect to escape with all their blood -- though daylight doesn't give you much of an advantage either. Now start at the beginning," she said sweetly, "I demand to know everything."


	14. Chapter 14

AN: I am a horrible author. And yes, this chapter is shorter than it should be given that you all had to wait over a month [winces] for it, but it all needs to happen and I promise the next chapter will come in a more reasonable amount of time.

**Men and Monsters**

Chapter 14

Just because the psycho lady wanted to know everything didn't mean Kelsi had to tell her. She was a writer, after all, she could fudge the truth with the best of them.

"It would be easier," she said, "if you told me what you know so I can fill in the details. And a name would be nice," she added as an afterthought.

"Alvinia," she said with a smile that could freeze lava. "And I would much prefer to hear about your cousins -- as well as their friends -- from your perspective."

With a sigh and a silent hope that her cousins would forgive her, Kelsi said, "They're jerks. Vida's a bully who disagrees with anyone just for the fun of arguing and Madison's so wishy-washy she could make Gabby hate her."

"Gabby?"

Kelsi winced. "She's a girl from my school. She's nice to everyone."

"Ah," Alvinia said, her attention on a picture beside Kelsi's bed. It was of the whole gang at the Lava Springs end of summer party. "Even Ryan?" she asked slowly.

Kelsi's throat went momentarily dry. "Yes," she managed.

Alvinia looked at her sharply. "You don't like that, do you? You're jealous of her and the attention she gives my son."

Kelsi didn't answer. She didn't owe an explanation to this woman and she wasn't about to give her the satisfaction of knowing she was even the tiniest bit right.

"What powers do your cousins command?" Alvinia asked primly.

"Air and water."

"And what happened to their predecessors?"

"They died." At Alvinia's questioning look she explained, "In the Great Battle. Before the Master was sealed away."

"Sealed a-- ?" Alvinia echoed sharply, her face betraying the first hint of anger Kelsi had seen in her. She stood and began pacing the small room, her dark robes fanning out behind her. "That little moon witch," she hissed. She whirled, composed once more. "And he is still trapped."

It wasn't a question but Kelsi shook her head anyway.

"He must be," Alvinia insisted. "His presence is strong enough that I would feel it even through the barrier between the worlds."

"He was destroyed," Kelsi said, taking some small pleasure in the words.

"You lie!" Alvinia hissed. "He could not be. There was nothing that could defeat him." She trailed off, silently considering the possibilities. Angrily, she grabbed Kelsi's arm and pulled her off the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"We're not waiting until dawn," Alvinia said. "If Necrolai is hungry, she can have you."

#

Gabriella awoke with a start, her breath coming in small, heavy gasps. She held her arms up, making certain she still had hands and not the claws she'd been dreaming. She was sweating and her blankets were in a heap on the floor. She rolled over and buried her head in her pillow with a moan.

She'd always been a calm sleeper. She didn't toss or turn, like some people. Apparently that was just one of the many things about her life that would never be the same.

With a huff she threw herself out of bed and turned on her ceiling fan. She sighed as it began stirring the warm air in the room. She kicked her blankets into a corner on her way back to bed, but froze when a shadow fell across her floor. She followed the shadow to the balcony where a figure hesitated a moment before knocking gently on the doors. She let out a small, pitiful whine before crossing the room and throwing the doors open.

"Troy," she said, not at all surprised to see him standing in the moonlight. When he didn't say anything she added, "It's really late."

"Actually," he said, "it's early."

"Why are you here?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest and only then realizing that she was wearing a spaghetti top and dangerously short pajama bottoms.

"I was gonna talk to the guys about this, wait for tomorrow when I could make Kelsi talk, maybe call Ryan to see if you'd told Sharpay anything. But then I realized that none of them would know for sure and they're not the ones I really want to hear an answer from." He paused, catching her gaze and refusing to let go. "I want to know what's going on with you. Even if we're not going to be together, I want to be there for you."

Gabriella felt her knees go weak. Troy was giving her that look, that puppy-dog-basketball-star-can't-say-no-'cause-it'll-break-my-heart look that always made her heart melt.

"You can't," she said, trying not to choke on the words. She loved him. She knew she loved him. And that made hurting him hard, but all the more necessary.

"Why not?" he asked, running a hand down her arm. She stepped away, hugging herself now.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said, willing him to understand that this was how it had to be. "Please, just go. Just --"

His mouth came crashing down on hers and if he hadn't taken hold of her shoulders she knew she would have fallen. Her arms wrapped around his neck of their own accord and the kiss deepened. This was good, this was right. Troy and Gabriella. Gabriella and Troy. They would make it work. There was nothing they couldn't conquer when they were together. She was only vaguely aware of the open door behind her, and the bed just a few feet beyond. She stepped back, pulling him with her.

The moonlight still reached here, into the room. It cut through the curtains and seeped into her skin, burning her hotter than the sun ever could. She held Troy tighter, pulling him against her and fighting to get his jacket off.

He came up for air and she didn't give him time to come back -- or time to question what they were doing. She began kissing along his jaw line and he made a noise deep in his throat that had her stomach clenching in a way she never wanted to stop. She nipped at a spot under his ear and he did it again, causing her to answer with a growl. She knew where this was going: her and her mate, bound together. Forever. And after they were done here they would go out -- they would be hungry by then, after all -- prowl for some unsuspecting human to devour.

Gabriella shoved Troy away with a start, panting and sounding all too much like the animal she truly was, deep inside.

"Go," she said, ashamed by how breathless she was.

He opened his mouth -- maybe to argue, maybe to apologize -- but she cut him off.

"Get out!" she snapped, not loud enough for her mother to hear, but loud enough that he got the message.

He stepped out onto the balcony, grabbing his fallen jacket on the way. When he reached the railing he whirled. "I'm not asking you this because of what we almost did," he said and the way his eyes cut away at those last words made her breathe a sigh of relief. "I'm asking because of _us_. Do you love me?"

Her heart clenched. "No."

She never thought he could look at her and not make her heart feel warm, but when she said that one, final word he blinked and when his eyes opened again he wasn't her Troy Bolton anymore.

He turned and caught hold of a sturdy tree branch, ready to pull himself up and climb down. "I meant what I said before," he said over his shoulder. "I'll always be here for you, no matter what." And then he was gone.

#

Nikki Pimvare -- formerly Necrolai Pimvare, Queen of the Vampires, scourge of the living, devourer of innocents, and servant of the Master -- stumbled down the stairs in her condo. She ran a hand through her hair, thankful that no one was around this early to see the disarray it was in after hours of sleep. Leelee -- her daughter and current Queen of the Vampires -- was busy clearing up some dispute between the vampires and werewolves upstate and would most likely arrive home that afternoon smelling of wet dog, poor thing.

As for Nikki, she had woken up in the wee hours of the morning with a craving for that last piece of chocolate cake sitting in the fridge downstairs. She had sat there, unable to sleep, for more than an hour, telling herself that a former Vampire Queen was stronger than her hunger and knowing it was a lie. If she had been stronger than her hunger before, she never would have eaten that goat in the 1650s. She had shuddered at the very thought and thrown herself out of bed, intent on eating her cake.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs she froze, her senses on alert. There was someone in the house. She no longer had the benefit of her full vampire senses, but she could still see in the dark and there was definitely someone sitting at her dining room table. Nikki crept into the kitchen, her barefoot steps light on the tile as she pulled her largest knife from its block. She also gave the sash on her robe a firm tug, not wanting the material to go flying during a fight. Weapon in hand she strode into the dining room, holding her head high as if finding strange people in her house in the dead of night didn't concern her at all.

"Good morning," Nikki said pleasantly and leaned back against the table beside the intruder. Now that she could see who it was she felt her heart go still in her chest. "Kelsi?" she breathed.

The girl's back was ramrod straight against the chair, her hands sat, neatly folded, in her lap, and her eyes stared straight ahead.

"Kelsi!" Nikki demanded, dropping the knife on the table and giving Kelsi's shoulders a firm shake.

"She can't move."

Nikki's blood ran cold at the sweet voice. She hadn't heard it in over twenty years and had sincerely hoped she never would again. She released Kelsi and faced Alvinia, not bothering with the knife on the table: it would do her no good against the sorceress.

"Please," Alvinia said slowly, circling the table to get a closer look at her, "tell me that this is some ruse to make a pitiful human's death more poetic."

Nikki tilted her chin a notch higher and stepped between Alvinia and Kelsi, intent on protecting the girl from further harm. "I used up my powers bringing two warriors back to life. A similar act would have killed a human, but apparently since I was already dead …" She shrugged the event off carelessly.

"You were brought back to life as well," Alvinia said, touching a lock of Nikki's hair in awe. She let her hand drop and asked, "Who did you bring back?" a dangerous light glinting in her eye.

"Leanbow and Daggeron."

Alvinia's eyes went wide and for a moment Nikki wondered if those would be the last words she would ever say. Alvinia turned away and spat onto the carpet. "You betrayed the Master," she said angrily.

"He was going to kill Leelee," Nikki said simply. "I do not know what became of your children after the Gate was opened but --"

"Sharpay freed me," Alvinia said, regaining her composure.

She disappeared and Nikki whirled to see her standing over Kelsi, stroking the girl's hair gently. The look in her eye as she watched the frozen girl was one Nikki knew she reserved for her favorite toys.

"She and Ryan attend school with this one," Alvinia continued. "But you already know her, don't you? My children, friends with a Mystic's relative. I couldn't have planned it any better myself."

"What are you going to do?" Nikki asked.

"The Master is dead, he must be or you would have been killed long ago for such treason. He must be avenged." She glanced up and Nikki tensed, feeling the gathering power in the air. "The Mystics will die, as will all who help them."

There was a flash of deep pink light and a crack like thunder.

Hours later, when Toby brought his girlfriend a surprise box of doughnuts he found her on the floor and the house empty.

* * *

_reviews = love_


End file.
